Okami No Kaabii: Knights, Kings, and gods
by Kitsune-Taichou
Summary: Nippon, A land just south of Dream land and a lovely place. Yami had been killed and For a while the land was filled with peace, but it didn't last Demons rose once again and darkness spread over the land once more. A group of brave souls set out to investigate, only to find themselves in a kingdom that is ruled by a greedy king with a great love for demon beasts. Longer sum inside
1. Chapter 1

A Knight with a bloody past, A Swordmaster who wishes to change her fate, A warrior whose power is just beginning to show, Gods and Goddesses with powers that could reconstruct the planet itself, Beware, for the darkness has only just begun... ※ Nippon. A land just south of Dream land full of beautiful culture. In Nippon it was peaceful, that was until Orochi was released and after his and the downfall of Yami everything was to be peaceful again and after Akuro's death peace was supposed to remain. But it didn't last, Demons rose once again and darkness spread over the land once more. A group of brave souls set out to investigate, only to find themselves in a kingdom that is ruled by a greedy king with a great love for demon beasts. 彡 Pasts revealed, secretes found out, powers corrupted, old friends and foes return, and unlikely enemies and allies alike. Rise warriors, its time to take up arms once more.

-Slight AU Ōkami and Canon Hoshi no Kaabii crossover.

-Ōkami setting is mainly in the celestial plain unless Kirby and Co. go to Nippon but the main setting in general will be in Dream Land or at times in nightmare's fortress.

-Most Okami characters are still the same (Sprites, Oni, The Onia tribe, Poncles, and Villagers/mortals) but the gods are human-like and can switch between forms (Zodiac/animal to Human/Gijinka) they will still be called gods and goddesses but will not be gods/goddesses in a sense that they cannot die, though they do not age they can be mortally wounded and die of blood loss or they can die by sickness (rarely though) or by getting shot or stabbed in vital areas (head, heart, and neck).

-The "Celestial Plain" is a floating island the only way to access it is via celestial stair case, the only way to create one is to have someone who is in possession of a celestial brush and Canvas to draw it. the staircase will vanish after a while.

-OCs will be showing up but few will play a 'major' part and not all belong to me, some belong to my friend(s).

-the main thing that needs to be noted for the main OC (Hotaru) is that she can switch between two zodiac forms (a Wolf -like Ammy- and a cat- like Kabe) but unlike the other gods her coloring is Black fur with blue markings. I may do Character 'cards' or pages later on along with FS (fan species) too.

-pairings are unknown except for slight Fumu x Tachigami (lol) and OC x ? Though there might be hints of Honey x Iroo.

-In zodiac Speech is in bold italics and in the first chapter the gods are in gijinka form and reader will be told when they switch forms.

-Most of the HnK story line will not follow the script of specific episodes as close (ex: exact wording and action) but the monsters might.

- AU Okami part: Any star warrior or (in whispy, Dynablade, etc. case) magical being plus Costumer Service, Nightmare, demon bests/oni can hear godly speech. The only exceptions are cappies who have been in contact with Demon Beasts (ex.: Kawasaki = Popon, Fumu and Bun= All of them really, Professor Cerio= the Mumbies etc.). Though everyone in Dream Land can see the godly markings.

•Ōkami belongs to Capcom and Clover studios (though the game was licensed by Nintendo as well)

•Hoshi no Kaabii/Kirby Games and Characters belong to Nintendo and HAL Labs

•Hotaru/Severa, and Spirit/dream eater belong to me

• Emersen belongs to Lilliya Burns

• Rowan and Emmit belong to Matt Collins

-Time Line:

※Okami- After OkamiDen※

HnK- during the 'nightmare war ' (starts in episode 18 and there wont be too much of a specific order for episodes- Ex. One chaper could be episode 29 but the next might be 57)


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, hey guys If any of you read Fox or Snake I know ****i**** haven't finished it but I was writing this on ****wattpad**** (as Hotrau_fireflies) and wanted to uploaded this to ****Fanfiction****. I suppose technically this fanfic would be under crossover but ****right now**** it isn't because only ****Okami**** characters are in it. ****Annnd**** that'd also make it qualified ****to be**** under crossover but ****meh****... Over all, I'm not too proud of the first few chapters including this one. But without any more delay;**

**Okami No Kaabii**

* * *

><p>Chapter one: Troubled Times<p>

_"Once I've made a decision, you can't stop me!"_

_~ Issun (Okami)_

* * *

><p>A soft knock at Amaterasu's door pulled the beautiful woman out of her troubled thoughts.<p>

"Yes?" she asked, looking up from her scroll as the door slid open. A familiar face appeared.

"Hey, Ammy." the person said.

"Hello, Hotaru. what's going on?" Amaterasu asked. Hotaru sighed.

"Same old same old, honestly I thought after Yami and Akuro's downfall we'd finally have that everlasting peace thing that Rao was talking about before Ninetails killed her but I suppose not." She sighed, walking in. Brushing her black hair out of her face she walked to Amaterasu.

Amaterasu frowned, "It seems like all the demons are coming from the north again." She said, putting the scroll down.

"Indeed, I fear for Nippon." Hotaru sighed.

"I couldn't have put it in better words." Amaterasu said.

"Anyways, I'm gonna go see what I have left for food at my place." Hotaru said, sighing and leaving. Amaterasu frowned.

"I wonder what's going on..." she murmured aloud.

"Perhaps I could propose an idea, ma chérie." A voice said.

Whipping around, the sun goddess smiled, "Waka!" she exclaimed happily.

"Bonjour, ma chérie~! I have returned from the village. Sakuya says 'hello',by the way." The blonde reported bowing ever so gracefully.

Amaterasu smiled great fully, "Thank you Waka. Now, what's your idea?" she asked.

The moon tribe native smiled, "Send a few others north to investigate the demons." he said, winking.

Amaterasu considered this idea, "But, is it safe to have fighters leave?" she wondered.

"Ma chérié, as if now it's our best option. We need to send a group to north on the mortal plain. I personally suggest four to leave." Waka told the goddess. Amaterasu nodded, brushing a bit of her long, white hair out of her face.

"Alright but who to send...?" She asked.

"For starters, how about the little Firefly? she seemed fairly bored last I saw her." Waka suggested.

Elsewhere, Hotaru sneezed.

"Is someone talking about me again?" She asked.

* * *

><p>AN:

Well this is it. The first chapter.

Wow what crappy first chapter, huh? Ah well...

The next chapter will be better i swear it.


	3. Chapter 3

_"He died in the middle of our conversation. How rude."_

_~ Solf/Zoff J. Kimblee (Full Metal Alchemist )_

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><p><em>'Thoughts'<em>

"Regular Speech"

**_"Godly Speech"_ **

**"DeMoN BeAsT/OnI SpEeCh"**

* * *

><p>The cool water of the mountain creek washed over Tachigami's scarred hands. Shouts echoed from farther down the river where the small group if four set up camp for the night.<p>

"I said 'NO!' Kazegami! Do Not pull me into the river!" Gekiami's voice exclaimed, followed by Kazegami's protests to her fellow brush god's protests to stay out of the water.

'Kazegami and Gekigami are at it again...' Tachigami thought, sighing. The small-sword master stood, pulled his gloves back on, and ran a hand though his white hair. Like the majority of the brush gods- Tachigami had white hair with red markings and two black dots by the center mark, though he had two little 'antennae' sticking up.

He dressed in a red, skin-tight tank top with black pants and a white Haori that was tied at the waist by a red hakama sash. the upper half of the coat had been taken off and fell loosely over the bottom half* -the coat was only being kept in place by the tied sash- and red-and-white sandal-like shoes along with red fingerless gloves that went up to his elbows. His greyish-blue sword had shrunk down to be only half its size so it could fit in its scabbard on his back.

Tachigami turned his head to look behind him, "Loud aren't they?" he asked the fourth member- and the second most serious about the mission- of the group. Hotaru simply nodded her head. Tachigami- somewhat satisfied by her answer turned all the was around to face the black-haired Fallen. Hotaru was different from the majority of the gods and god-like beings on the celestial plain, being one of the few 'Fallen' on the plain.

Fallen are god-like beings or Celestials who were exiled- or taken by Yami (During the genocide of the Ark)- from the plain during or before Orochi's first attack on the plain. Unlike the other gods, all the fallen were recolored to Black hair or fur and Blue marking once they had fallen and most dressed in black and blue Yukatas, Kimonos, or something like them in the beginning but later changed the style to something from a foreign* land. Most fallen were turned into Oni or possessed/had an Oni residing inside their body. The few that were 'redeemed' to the plain readopted to their provisos clothing style and coloring.

All of them but Hotaru, who dresses in a black-and-white long trench-like coat* with black pants and blue sleeve-less top underneath as well as black boots, blue gloves, and a white and black mask with markings of the opposite color- being that the colors cover one half of the mask each therefore splitting it vertically in half- that covers her face*. Wearing it, her eyes become shadowed. She said it reminds her of her faults and keeps her from doing them all over again. Like Tachigami she was skilled with the sword and carried one on her back. Actually she had two swords- one on her back with a blue and silver hilt and guard and a katana with a black and silver color scheme for the guard, hilt, and scabbard.

"They should quiet down." was all Hotaru said with a soft sigh. Tachigami frowned, ever sence they had left Celestial Nippon- no, ever sence they had left the LAND of Nippon, she had been very serious about the mission. Though Tachigami couldn't be sure because he hadn't been demon hunting with her as much as Itegami or Moegami did, perhaps this was how Hotaru always was when she was on a job. Shrugging this off, he sighed as well.

"I hope they calm down, we don't want to wake the land." he added to the other's comment looking up at the mountains. Hotaru gave a small smile, "Perhaps, but it'd be nice to know if sprites* exist here like they do in Nippon." she said turning and walking in the direction of the makeshift camp. Tachigami inwardly chuckled and followed his black-clad partner.

ーTime Skipー

"What in the name of Amaterasu happened to you two?" Hotaru asked once the had two arrived at the campsite. Kazegami laughed sheepishly and wrung out her dripping wet hair. Gekigami scowled, soaked to the bone.

"Kazegami thought it'd be fun to have what she called a 'splash war' in the river." he said while he glared at the wind brush goddess. Kazegami sweatdropped. "We also can't use any electric sparks to light a fire." he added. Tachigami facepalmed and glanced at Hotaru.

"If that's the case than I guess we should keep moving so you don't catch a cold. I believe that staying in one place will only make you more cold at night." Hotaru said to the two soaked brush gods.

"Or we could switch to zodiac forms. perhaps that'd be better for traveling, partly because we can use Kazegami as a substitute pack mule, again." Gekigami put in, earning a protest from the said goddess.

"Aside from the pack mule, that's a good idea." Hotaru said after a second. Tachigami nodded, "You two better transform, Hotaru and I can pack up what little we brought."

Gekigami and Kazegami nodded and fog-like mist shrouded the two from head to toe as the two sword welders gathered the blankets and food back into the three bags they had brought them in. As the fog-like mist disappeared from the two brush gods, their humanoid forms were replaced by their zodiac forms. Gekigami- A large white and red tiger with a bow on its back and a quiver filled with lightning-bolt tipped arrows at its side- and Kazegami- a White and Red horse with a green uchiwa attached to its saddle- waited patiently for the two to finish.

Hotaru picked up two of the three bags- being that they carried their blankets for the night in the bags- and tied them to Kazegami's saddle.

"Hey, there's not much food left. should we keep it or ditch it? seriously there's two apples and a squished rice ball." Tachigami asked.

"Throw it out, well find some more food later." Gekigami said, flicking his tail. Tachigami nodded and dumped the food into a nearby bush before transforming into his zodiac form- a red and white rat that was a bit larger than the common rat with a small-sword inside its scabbard on its back. though the three others knew better than to question the sword's size. once outside of the scabbard it grew larger and it was definitely something none of them wanted to be cut open by.

Hotaru- on the other hand- had transformed into a black furred wolf with blue markings and golden eyes. Shadows curled around her paws.

"Are we ready to go?" Hotaru asked, looking at the other three.

"Lets go." Kazegami said, pawing the ground with her hoof.

With a nod the four animals started in the direction of the forest, though the mountains and into the sunset... With Gekigami sneezing every once and awhile.

ーTime Skipー

The four animals walked in silence, well three animals. Tachigami was sitting on Hotaru's back.

"Does anyone else hear that?" Gekigami asked, tilting his head to the left.

Kazegami's ears twitched. "Nope, I don't hear a thing." she whinnied. The fox and rat also shook their heads.

"What ever it is- or was- it's best if we leave it be, It's night time now and not all of us are nocturnal like Hotaru is, thus not all of us are prepared to fight if needed." Tachigami said, nose twitching.

"I'm tired, too, ya know." Hotaru sighed, golden eyes rolling in the most un-wolflike way.

Ignoring Hotaru, Tachigami looked up at the sky. 'Perhaps something is there. Hunting us, after all a Rat and a Horse would make a tasty meal for the normal carnivore. But a Wolf and a Tiger should be enough to keep them away and by the looks of it, Hotaru is thinking something along these lines as well..' He thought, unaware of the sound of wind being stirred by something that wasn't Kazegami or a natural source.

"Tachigami, Hotaru!" Kazegami yelled, pulling the sword god and the fallen out of their thoughts as a large, orange-red bird swooped down and, with open talons, plucked up the rat and wolf- and before their companions could react- flew towards the forest, the village and the mountains on the western side of the village.

It took a moment for Tachigami and Hotaru to register what had just happened as they were being flown over the village.

"WHAT THE HELLLLLLLL?!" Tachigami yelled. Hotaru winced, but opened her jaws and bit down. hard. Earning a screech from the giant bird, the talon that gripped them both opened up and dropped the two. Strait into the large tree in the center of the village.

ーPov, Time, and location switchー

It was one of those nights when Meta Knight couldn't sleep. Sighing, the knight slipped out of his quarters into the castle hall for a night walk to clear his head. After wandering around for a while he realized he might never get to sleep now. Walking out onto a balcony he looked up at the night sky. He blinked. The outline of Dynablade could be spotted against the light of the waning crescent moon. _'She appears to be carrying something, perhaps she's been night hunting.'_ He thought, eyes glowing green for a moment before returning to their golden-yellow color. Turning back to look at the stars, he sighed. Usually he'd be able to see three of the four constellations that usually were very easily to spot but tonight they seemed to have vanished. The Sword-Rat, The Storm-Tiger, and The Gale-Horse constellations were always by The Water-Snake constellation.

Sighing again, the knight turned at leave the balcony when he heard something.

"WHAT THE HELLLLLLLL?!"

Followed by a very loud screech, Dynablade's screech.

"..." Meta Knight's eyes flashed green once more before he walked back to his and his knives' quarters.

"Sire!" Two voices yelled as he opened the door.

"What was that?" Sword asked.

"Dynablade. Lets go." was all he said, turning back to the darkness of the hall and dashing down to hall towards the castle entrance. Sword and Blade Knight followed after a glance at each other.

ーPov and location switchー

Hotaru's body ached from the fall. It didn't help that the fall not only knocked her out of zodiac form but it knocked Tachigami into some sort of daze.

"Tachi!" Hotaru hissed, scooping up the half-dazed rat up and placed him on a wider, sturdier branch of the tree they had crashed into.

"Five more minutes." he mumbled, curling up into a ball. Hotaru sighed before patting his head.

'You stay and rest. I'm going to find a better place to wait.' She thought before jumping down. as soon as she hit the ground she regretted jumping down, black spots dotted her vision as a wave of pain made her stagger and lean against the tree.

"Dammit." she muttered, closing her eyes behind the mask before snapping them open when she heard the sound of metal grinding together and the sound of many feet moving.

"Oh damn." She cursed, luck wasn't on her side. but it only made sence, that bird was loud. she shook her head and pressed up against the tree as hundreds of little orange things- followed by some odd-looking metal box with bright lantern-like things shining. Inside the box was a fat, blue penguin of sorts and a... a snail- approached the tree.

Frowning behind her mask once again, her hand drifted closer to her katana. She could most likely take these guys on.

_'The orange things didn't look too though and by using a more simplified version Tachigami's favorite move- that he named himself- The power slash, I should be able to take down the box and the snail and penguin.'_ she thought, then realized, the orange things had SPEARS.

'What the hell.' She mentally facepalmed before catching sight of something in the shadows of a restaurant. Two golden eyes glowed from the shadows.

_'Those eyes... they're too small to be Gekigami's...but if the owner of those eyes is also a challenger... I'd better get away before they find Tachi. But I hate using this. It's too energy consuming.'_ She thought, looking up at the sky.

"So be it." she said, concentrating on her shadow and the shadows around her. Focusing, she thought of the woods not too far from where she stood and let the shadows engulf her.

The last thing she thought before everything went dark, she chuckled mentally.

'I'm surprised that none of the villagers are rushing outside. that bird was very loud.'*

ーPov switch，Time Switchー

Meta Knight watched from the shadows of Kawasaki's restaurant. Sword and Blade were off a little ways away, unseen by anyone. Eyes changing to green, he observed this newcomer. Though the mask and clothing style hid it to the normal eye he noted that this being was in fact female. She dressed in a long, black coat with about four white straps, one going across the area around the chest, one going up her shoulder and one going under his right arm. those three were all connected by an oddly shaped silver clasp. the shape of the clasp was almost triangular-ish shaped. a fourth strap went around where he guessed her waist would be. What she was wearing underneath the coat was still a mystery to him but he noted that she wore black boots. The female had long dark hair tied back in a ponytail and her face was hidden by a strange colored mask. Meta Knight could also make out the glint of a sword on her back as well as the outline of one at her side. Because of the mask hiding her eyes, her eye color was difficult to tell, as was the odd aura around her. It was like a Demon Beast's but with little to no evil intentions. .

The knight was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of King Dedede's... er limousine driving towards the black clad female. It was being led and followed by a bunch of spear wielding waddle dees and Waddle Doo was leading them, of course.

Meta Knight's eyes changed back to their Golden hue as the female's hand drifted towards the sword that hung by her side.

'She's preparing herself for a fight.' Meta Knight thought.

A slight movement of the head caught his eye, blinking he stared back at the female who appeared to be looking at him. After a few moments she looked up at the sky.

"So be it." She said before shadows wrapped themselves around her and she vanished*.

Meta Knight's eyes glowed green as he walked back over to Sword and Blade.

"Let us go back before His highness realizes that we were here as well." he said walking back towards castle dedede as King Dedede arrived.

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><p><strong>AN:**

**Whew long chapter is long. I can't promise you they'll all be this length though, some will be shorter and others might be longer. anyways,**

*** #1: I had an issue describing Gijinka! Tachigami's clothing style. if you don't understand look up Gijinka Tachigami on google images.**

***#2: Reference to modern-day Japan in a way.**

***#3: the way I first drew Hotaru was with a coat similar to Kirito's from SAO :3 anyways that was also hard to describe in away.**

***#4: Similar to the mask that Kano Shuuya wears/has in the song Yobanashi deceive/Night tales deceive.**

***#5: Mainly referring to Saykuya**

***#6: Similar to The Percy Jackson series's shadow travel, but different.**

***#7: Idk I suppose I just wanted Hotaru to make a quick getaway. Lets say the cappies had heard it but didn't wanna get outta bed. like me when I hear a loud noise.**


	4. Chapter 4

_"Don't try an excuse yourself by saying that its for someone else's sake!" _

_~ Xerxes Break (Pandora Hearts)_

_'Thoughts'_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN bEaSt/OnI sPeEcH" **

Whispy Woods blinked. This was the **LAST** thing he had expected to be woken by in the middle of the night.

Before this **PERSON** showed up is sleep had been stirred by Dynablade's loud screech. He had, of course, wondered what had caused the great bird to screech like that before falling back into a light sleep.

A sleep that was soon disturbed by a disturbance in the forest.

Opening his eyes slowly, Whispy looked at this being who had appeared in front of him. The being was clad in black and white and was a sword master by the looks of it, but this being radiated power-A very god-like power that he had only felt when the great goddess Amaterasu had wondered into his woods- but at the same time there was a second, dark force being forced down by that godly power. He could feel the struggle between the two forces inside this one being. While Whispy was thinking the being had slumped down against the tree across from him. Blinking slowly, the guardian of the woods watched this powerful being from, well, his place. as a tree.

He watched as the being undid its long raven black hair and took off its black and white mask. Revealing the face of a young woman. For a split second Whispy swore he saw a flash of red from the left side of her face but her hand quickly brushed her hair back into place, covering the left side- so that only one eye showed, he saw that her eyes were an emerald green. Just like the grass in the spring.

A memory sparked in his mind. It was an old one of when he first meet Sakuya*, a lovely tree sprite who had needed to get out of her homeland for a bit of a break. He remembered her being with another being. One who radiated power like this woman and The Ōkami Amaterasu*. one who hid the left side of her face with her snow-white hair so that people could only see one of her emerald green eyes. one who Sakuya had placed a sort of blessing on*. The one whose name meant Firefly and who had an odd talent of disappearing and reappearing into and out of the shadows. One who was like this woman who had appeared just now.

Whispy was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of something hitting the ground. Looking back towards the young woman he saw that her only visible eye was beginning to close and her hand that held her mask had gone limp and the mask had fallen next to her on the ground.

'_Sleep well, child of the fireflies, the one with lady Sakuya's blessing.' _he thought* as he fell back into sleep, dreaming of the sun and cherry blossoms.

ーPov and seane switchー

Tachigami awoke with a sore body. His whole being was aching and his head **HURT** like hell. It didn't help that the only reason he had awoken is because of the fact that white hot pain had invaded his senses.

Upon opening his eyes, he hissed and fell from the tree. The sun **BURNED** his sore eyes. Now he hurt even more than earlier. dammit.

He shook his head and looked around. No one was around. maybe because it was too early? He didn't know and he didn't know the time, either. He sighed, '_Where the hell am I?' _He asked himself, looking up at the sky. A soft growl came from nearby making the sword-wielding rat suddenly alert. Looking around, Tachigami failed to notice the sliding door of the restaurant he was sitting in front of open.

The growl came again.

"Wow I've never seen a white and red rat before!" a voice said. Tachigami's attention was suddenly on the being who had just come out of the restaurant before him. It resembled at penguin* somewhat, just without the beak, feathers, and webbed feet- In fact, it was wearing magenta shoes. The being was orange with obsidian-colored eyes and was wearing an apron and a chef's hat. It smelled like a male. And sounded like one.

_Growl_

Tachigami then realized that the growling was coming from his own stomach.

"Hey little buddy. you seem hungry! you want something to eat?" He asked. Tachigami thought for a second before taking a hesitant step towards the chief. Right bow he could care less about Never taking food from strangers. He was starving.

His nose twitched as he scampered towards the chief.

"Well then, little rat! Im Kawasaki, I'm the owner of this here restaurant." he said pointing his, Er... Hand at the blue banner above the door. Smiling, Kawasaki slid open the door to his restaurant and motioned for him to go inside. Tachigami obeyed and walked inside with Kawasaki after him, sliding the door closed. The orange chef walked back to the kitchen of the restaurant to prepare whatever he could find that would be fit for a rat to eat. Curious, Tachigami followed. '_This restaurant,'_ He thought, '_Its styled a bit like one in Nippon would be.' _

He looked around before entering the kitchen. The orange chef turned around, a kitchen knife in hand.

"Hey there, was there anything you wanted?" he asked, smiling with his eyes closed. Tachigami opened his mouth. "Oh, wait. You can't talk can ya? You are an animal and I don't think that most animals can-"

_**"I can talk. its just a matter of WHO can HEAR me."**_ Tachgami said, blinking at the chef. _'And I doubt he's one of them.'_ the rat added to himself before looking up at the chef.

Tachigami had to keep himself from drawing his sword.

-POV Switch-

Kawasaki had a complete look of shock, he didn't know what to think!

"Y-you can talk!" he gasped, nearly dropping his knife.

_**"Yes, yes I can. Im the one who should be surprised. Few beings can hear me outside of my homeland. The ones that can I assume are either Oni or of godly power themselves."**_ The rat sitting in front if him said, but its mouth didn't move. it was like he was speaking in his mind.

"What's an Onee?" He asked the rat, confused. Was it some sort of Demon Best*? The rat seemed to roll its eyes.

_**"Not '**_**Onee**_**', it's **_**Oni**_**. You know, Demon." **_The rat said, turning its head and opening its mouth. Clamping down on the handle* of the sword on its back (Come to think of it, Kawasaki hadn't noticed the blade until now), it unsheathed the blue-grey blade and swung it a few times.

"H-hey!" He exclaimed, diving to avoid getting beheaded. Squeezing his eyes shut and outing his hands over his head he waited for the worse outcome.

"What _are_ you doing?" a boy's voice asked. Opening one eye, he came face to face with a boy with white hair with red markings and two little 'antennae' sticking up from, possibly*, the back of his head. He had pale skin and dark eyes and was dressed in a red, skin tight tank top with black pants and a white Haori that was tied at the waist by a red hakama sash. the upper half of the coat had been taken off and fell loosely over the bottom half* -the coat was only being kept in place by the tied sash- and red-and-white sandal-like shoes along with red fingerless gloves that went up to his elbows. An empty scabbard was on his back and he had a sword that was probably as large, if not larger, than him with some sort of red tassel* over his shoulder. He was about the same hight as Fumu.

Kawasaki opened the other eye and stood up.

"Before you ask, my hair color is natural." The boy said.

"I wasn't going to ask that, yet." Kawasaki said, blinking. Was this boy really here? Or was he imagining things?

"I wanted to know if you were that rat just now." he said the the boy. The boy sighed, and closed his eyes before speaking.

"Yes I was the rat. That's my other form." he said, setting the sword on the counter. "My name is Tachigami. Im a Swordmaster from a land south of this one." the boy- now identified as Tachigami- said, opening his eyes.

"You're so young and-!" He exclaimed, stopping when A vain popped on Tachigami's forehead.

"Don't. You. Dare. Call. Me. Short*. Or. Small." he said, an aura that screamed 'DANGER!' surrounded the boy. Kawasaki flinched and stepped back. "I wasn't planing on it!" he stammered. The aura disappeared.

"Good." Tachigami said, yawning and leaning against the counter, "Now about that meal..."

*1: AU moment: Sakuya can leave Nippon.

*2: This will come into play later.

*3: Slight AU on the Kirbyverse; but hey, if you're a tree you're bound to know who Ammy is... right?

*4: Hotaru means Firefly basically and Whispy Knows All! Not really but because its what Sakyua calls Hotaru he used it... sure.

*5: Kawasaki has the general shape of a penguin. To me that is. :P

*6: Oni and Demon Beasts are different:

Oni are basically the 'demon beasts' of Nippon but are 'created' by Yami. Though most of them can only be destroyed by divine weapons (including Galaxia and any of the gods' weapons such as Tachigami's sword or Yumigami's hammer/Mallet or Hotaru's blades) or power (Kirby, Kazegami Gale/Gale Slice etc.) but others can be easily defeated by Sword, Blade, or waddle dees/doo.

*7: Chapter two reference. Still can't describe Tachigami's clothing -_-

*8: From the pictures of the sword Tachigami uses it appears that his sword does not have a hilt or guard. I assume that it's because his sword is an ancient Jomon-style tsurugi (with an underestimating red sheath of small size). Idk what to call the red string(?) or cord that's attached to the sword.


	5. Chapter 5

_"Sometimes the questions are complicated but the answers are so simple." _

_~ L (Death Note) _

_"Flashback/Flashback speech"_

_'Thoughts'_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN bEaSt/OnI sPeEcH" **

Hotaru blinked. It was hard to tell what time of the day it was, being that the sun was hidden by the trees. She sighed, placing her hand on her mask next to her and looking up.

"I see you're awake now." A voice said. Sitting up, Hotaru looked around. Seeing no one, her hand went instinctively to her katana- only for her to realized that it wasn't at her side.

"Are you looking for these?" the voice asked her. Hotaru looked strait ahead of her to see... a tree. With a face. And her swords. That were unsheathed. Blinking again, Hotaru reached back with her other hand to make sure her other sword was actually in the grasp of this tree's roots- she assumed that's what they were, being that the things that were currently holding her two swords were coming out of the ground near the tree with the face- and not on her back, because that would mean she was hallucinating. Feeling only the empty scabbard of her second sword she looked at the tree, warily.

"A-ah... yes." She said, eyes narrowing. The tree's face seemed to harden.

"You've changed. The darkness that was residing inside of you has grown to an alarming point and then it has been restrained and sealed away, Child. Why would that be?" He (Hotaru assumed it was a 'he' because the voice sounded a tad bit like Yomigami's, old and wise) asked.

Hotaru pondered this for a moment before another question appeared in her head.

"Wait, do I know you?" She asked, frowning and narrowing her eye(s)* at the Face-Tree.

Face-Tree blinked. "I see, you don't remember." Closing his eyes, he sighed.

"Should i?" she asked.

Opening his eyes, his face softened. "Then let me enlighten you, child of fireflies." he said. Hotaru stiffened, only Sakuya* or other sprites called her that.

"It was a long time ago, how long I don't remember but it was but it was defiantly over one-hundred years*." The tree started.

"Can I at least have your name first? if you even have one." Hotaru asked, fiddling with her mask on her lap.

The tree blinked before giving her a gentle smile. "I am Whispy Woods, protecter of The Wispy Woods." the tree said. Hotaru ignored the fact that Wispy had a forest named after him, after all, Tachigami's sword was nicknamed "Tachi" by Hasugami.

"Very well, Whispy. It appears that you know me already but, My name is Hotaru." She said, "Now, please continue."

Whispy seemed to nod* before doing just that.

"Ah, where was I? That's right, It's was at over one-hundred years ago...

_"Hotaru! Don't go too far!" Sakyuya called, following the younger goddess to the edge of the woods in Dreamland. The younger girl who had run up ahead had white hair that coveted half her face and the eye that was visible was a beautiful green. She dressed in ninja style garb with a short netted shirt and white scarf, over which she wore a white robe with a giant red obi. Sakuya was dressed in a pink kimono and a purple wrap that reveals the top of her chest and her back. _

_"Sakuya! This is my first time out of Nippon, Im just curious is all!" The girl, Hotaru, said, before looking into the forest. "Plus you're a Wood Sprite, even if I get lost you should be able to find me!" she laughed before running into the woods. Sakuya sighed and followed, determined not to lose Lady Amaterasu's friend in the woods. _

"Hmmm..." Hotaru closed her eyed in thought.

"Is there something wrong?" Whispy asked.

"Well, it's just that I remember leaving with Sakuya on a little break- mainly 'cause I wanted to skip out on paperwork- but I don't remember where we were going and what we did. I do remember meeting a talking owl and hamster, though." She sighed.

"Then perhaps I should continue." Whispy said. Hotaru nodded.

_I sighed, slowly but surely the woods was growing back. At least Nightmare had stopped attacking Popstar for the time being, once realizing that most of Popstar wanted to stay out of the war between the GSA and the Nightmare Army. _

_"Hotaruuuuu! Stop rushing ahead!" a voice called, breaking the bird's song it was soon followed by laughter before a girl who had white hair that coveted half her face and the eye that was visible was a beautiful green. She dressed in ninja style garb with a short netted shirt and white scarf, over which she wore a white robe with a giant red obi. _

_"Whoa." the girl breathed, her single eye glistening with awe. Soon after a beautiful woman who was dressed in a pink kimono and a purple wrap that reveals the top of her chest and her back. Her black hair was tied back, except for two sections that hung loosely, framing her face but also bringing her sky blue eyes out. _

_"Hotaru..." she frowned. It was then when I decided to make myself visible, so to speak, and doing so the girl jumped. Her hand flew to the katana at her side. She almost drew it but the woman placed a hand on the girl's wrist. _

_"Calm down." she told the girl before turning to me. _

_"Good day, tree." She said bowing slightly. The girl did the same, albeit warily._

_"Hello, travelers. It has been a very long time seance any travelers have been here." I said, "I am Whispy Woods, guardian of these woods." _

_"I am Sakuyat the wood sprite, my companion is Hotaru, Child of the fireflies." the woman said, indicating to herself then the girl. The girl named Hotaru had left Sakuya's side and went to go sit down under a nearby tree. _

_For hours Sakuya and myself talked, Hotaru butting in at times, other times the girl remained oddly quiet, sometimes she looked as if she were falling asleep. _

_"I fear for her." Sakuya said as dusk was nearing. _

_"Why is that?" I asked. _

_"It's that the darkness that rests in most young godlings seems to be stronger then the others, nearly as strong as a low class Oni. Though she had both my blessing and the older gods' blessings, I can't help but wonder... will it be enough to keep the darkness at bay?" She asked. Frowning she sighed, "Or will the darkness consume her?" _

_"I do not know but I hope that she does not let it." was all I said before the sun set. In the morning, the two had continued on._

"That is all I know of you and how i know of you." Whispy woods said to Hotaru. She simply nodded before standing up and bowing before putting her mask back on.

"Thank you for your time." she said. Whispy seemed a tad bit torn between asking her to stay or letting her go back to wherever she was headed. Choosing the later he released her two swords.

"Be safe." he said as she sheathed her swords, the silver and blue one first- she did it quickly as if she was afraid that someone would see it- then the katana. She nodded before walking towards the direction of Pupupu village.

-Pov switch-

Kazegami sighed and plopped down on the grass before turning human again. Gekigami, on the other hand, became human as soon as they had reached the hills and past the bulk of sheep in the field. Gekigami looked around before looking strait down at the village somewhat below them.

"It doesn't seem that it's changed a bit..." he murmured, turning back to Kazegami. "Let's go." he barked before setting off towards the village.

-Pov switch, Slight time skip-

"No offense, Kawasaki. But your cooking sucks, well at least it fills." Tachigami sighed before setting down his bowl.

Kawasaki seemed to whimper. "So I've been told..." he said. Tachigami stood.

"So I've decided something, once a week I'll drop by -until I have to leave- to help improve your cooking. if that's possible that is." The sword master declared before standing. "I'd pay you but I doubt you take Yen here." he added before leaving the very confused- and scared- cook*.

Tachigami walked down the main street of the unnamed (to him) village, ignoring the questions and strange looks he got from the villagers- who looked suspiciously like the stereotypical ghost from the children's stories from mortem*, the place Hotaru would talk about sometimes. How she know of the land he didn't know not care. "Ah, dammit. I should've asked Kawasaki what this village was called." he sighed before looking up at the castle the rested on the cliff*. "I do wonder though... who rules this place?" he wondered aloud.

"To answer your question, traveler, it's a selfish, greedy, and gluttonous king." a girl's voice said from behind him. Stopping, he turned his head to look behind him. A girl with blonde/yellow hair (and skin he supposed would be the right term, after all, Kawasaki was orange...). She wore a one-piece outfit which was pink on the top and green on the bottom, separated by a zigzag. She was wearing orange shoes and had large, expressive green eyes. Her long hair was kept in an ornate ponytail held by purple and orange clasps. She was about the same hight as him.

"And you are?" Tachigami asked.

"Fumu. But, Isn't it more polite to introduce yourself first?" the girl shot back. The sword master sighed before looking back at the castle.

"It's Tachigami..." he said to her before walking in the direction of the castle.

-Pov switch, Time switch-

Hotaru yawned, '_Should I step in?'_ she thought, watching Tachigami and this village girl. Even though it was just for a moment, she could see the tension sparking between them. Looking towards the castle she shrugged. '_its best if I stay in the shadows for now...'_ she thought before she noticed that Tachigami was walking to the castle. '_well, better go and follow him.'_ she sighed, following her partner in the shadows of the buildings.

-Pov switch-

Tachigami frowned upon reaching the castle.

"It'd be logical to knock but then again... this isn't really a door." he sighed.

"Breaking and entering sounds fine to me." a familiar voice said. Tachigami looked over at Hotaru. "You finally arrived. Why the hell did you leave me?" he asked the masked goddess. She sighed, "Until my wrist heals*, I can't focus enough to stay in zodiac form, it'd be too suspicious if the villagers woke to find a human and a rat stuck in a tree. After all, we don't just fall from the sky regularly." she pointed out. Tachigami shrugged but nodded in understanding.

"So can you jump that high?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm a freaking goddess." she said. Tachigami could tell that she was rolling her eye or eyes, he was unsure if she was missing an eye or if she just kept one covered, even though she had a mask. Tachigami nodded before drawing his blade and taking off the scabbard.

"Hold onto this." he said, tossing it to Hotaru who then put it inside her coat* after catching it.

"Ready?" he asked, getting a nod from her. He backed up a bit before sprinting towards the moat and jumping high up into the air. Landing on top of the wall on the other side of the moat, he steadied himself before sending all of these little orange things with spears ( though one had a sword and only one eyeball in the center of his head) flying off the wall and onto the ground below. Giving a nod to Hotaru who was still on the ground. Unlike him, Hotaru simply jumped up to where he was.

"How do you do that?" he asked.

"Practice. Lots and Lots of practice." she sighed before taking off running. Frowning, Tachigami followed.

"I believe the throne room would be in the center of the castle, correct*?" She asked.

"Why are you asking me?!" he asked as they jumped down from the wall and into a mass of the 'orange things'. They plowed though them easily (except the eyeball one got away) and entered the castle.

-Pov switch-

From the shadows of the throne room, Meta Knight, Sword Knight, and Blade Knight watched as a somewhat injured-looking Captain Waddle Doo ran in looking frantic.

"Your majesty!" he said waving his stubby little arms. "The castle is being invaded! all the guard waddle dees are down! They're plowing though our ranks!" he said.

"WHAT?!" The king yelled, slammingy his fist down on one of the arms on his throne, making Escargon flinch. Just then the doors to the room crumbled- well more like they got sliced to bits- and two figures walked in. One was about the same hight as Fumu while the other was around Kawasaki's hight. The short one was a boy dressed in mostly red and white though he had black pants. His eyes were an obsidian color and he had tattoos on his shoulders that were red and matched the markings in his white hair*. Meta Knight's eyes flickered white then back to gold. The other person... This was the same person from last night.

"Would you look at this, the king's a penguin!" The boy scoffed.

"Penguin or not, he smells as if he just got off of Oni Island. Like a Demon, of course." the other said, drawing her katana. The boy already had his sword drawn, an ancient Jomon-style tsurugi* that was a grey-blue in color.

"Is that so? Then it's a good chance he is one." the boy said before jumping at the king- his sword raised over his head, prepared to bring it down for a killing blow.

**CLASH!**

-Pov switch-

Tachigami's eyes widened then narrowed as his sword clashed with a golden blade. The owner if the blade and himself flew apart and landed on their feet. His opponent was a small spherical creature colored navy blue. It had a mask that covered its face with a 'v' shaped opening to see (with two glowing, gold colored eyes). Its hands were gloved in white while his feet were dressed in purple shoes.* It's cape was also blue with a light green-blue collar and it had dark grey shoulder pads with gold-colored edges. Its sword was golden. Seriously, it had both a gold blade- that has six spikes (three per side) jutting out and radiated power- and hilt and guard. A red gem was in the center of the guard on both sides.

"And who might you be?" Tachigami asked the being, even though he had just gone though the 'introducing yourself is polite' thing.

"Sir Meta Knight, and you?" He answered, raising his sword.

"Tachigami." Tachigami answered before jumping at the small, blue knight. Their swords collided in a shower of sparks. Out of the corner of his eye, Tachigami could see Hotaru fighting on the defense against The knight's two followers.

Breaking away the two sword wielders glared at each other before clashing once again. Jumping to avoid the golden blade, Tachigami frowned. _'He's stronger than he looks... perhaps evenly matched against me...'_ He thought. The knight's eyes flashed green before his sword glowed.

"This ends... NOW!" Meta Knight said, firing a beam of pure energy at Tachigami from his sword. He smirked before his own sword glowed an inky black. '_So much for not using the power slash.' _he inwardly smirked as he cut a space though the beam.

"You can't win against power slash with _that_!" he said as the beam crashed and broke though the roof.

"You're supposed to PROTECT the castle not DESTROY it, bucket face*!" the king's righthand... snail said.

"Shut up, can't you see we're trying to kill each other?" Tachigami snapped, effectively shutting the snail up. The king seemed to be far to terrified to speak.

Landing he smirked, it felt good to be out of his normal personality every once and a while.

"Shit." Hotaru breathed. Tachigami glanced back to look at her. He caught a glimpse of the red-haired knight disarming her and the teal armored knight slashing at her face before he nearly had his head stabbed if it weren't for the fact that he had guessed that the Knight would go while he was distracted. Glaring, he jumped back from Meta Knight. He did hear the sound of something falling and a surprised noise. Well appearance hardly shows the whole truth.

"That was a Ki attack* wasn't it, The legendary Sword Beam?" He asked, wiping away the blood from the cut on his cheek.

"It was." Meta Knight said as they clashed swords once again. This time Tachigami and Meta Knight both jumped back as soon as they clashed swords as something flew in between them. an arrow that was sparking with electricity. Hotaru and the two other knights looked over as soon as they noticed the two weren't fighting but looking up at the two holes in the castle roof. Tachigami narrowed his eyes at the two figures. "Gekigami, Kazegami." he said.

"I'd prefer if you didn't draw your blade against my comrades, Sir Meta Knight. The same goes for you, Tachigami." Gekigami said, jumping down with Kazegami, Bow in hand with a second arrow loaded and sparking with lightning

"Storm Knight*..." Meta Knight murmured, lowering his sword.

*1: Half of her face is covered by her hair, to technically she'd be rolling both eyes but only one is visible.

*2: Around the time right before Orochi's attack

*3: he's a tree. I don't think he can nod to be honest.

*4: Nervous Kawasaki is Nervous.

*5: Mortem is either Ghost, Soul, or Spirit in Latin (according to google translate) I'm not fluent in Latin, Japanese, Romanian or French (the later three will be used later ). Mortem is a place that Tachigami visited a while back (wont be explained too much) when he was on a break (leaving Yomigami with lots of paperwork).

*6: I think it looks like a cliff :P

*7: Falling from the sky into a tree does that

*8: Hotaru has two coats, both are similar to my version of Meta's dimensional cape, both have Hammerspace. that's where the scabbard and the second coat are because hammerspace.

*9: random assumption

*10: Explained what he looks like in two coasters already

*11: Why the hell wouldn't Meta know about various styles of swords, ancient or not?

*12: I believe their shoes/armor...

*13: Rude escargon is rude

*14: TV troupes

*15: *Cue dramatic backstory that will be explained later on I swear it*

Wow that's a lot of references /dead


	6. Chapter 6

_" It's absurd to decide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."_

_~Izaya Orihara (Durarara)_

_'Thoughts'_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN BeAsT/OnI SpEaCh" **

-MK-

Meta Knight stared. For the longest time he thought that his (tallest) comrade in arms had been slain because he went MIA and yet, here was Storm Knight, dressed differently for the most part being that he was dressed in a black, skin-tight, sleeveless top that showed his tattoos that he had. He still had hakama pants though they were white instead of red and they were tied with a red sash instead of a white this time. He also still had black gloves and shoes that were wrapped still wrapped in yellow-gold cloth, though he wore a type of guard over both his gloves, arm, shoes, and leg area. He also had added a head band with same red markings that the boy Tachigami and the young woman who was with him had in their hair and he had also allowed his hair to grow out and between his hair and headband, his amber eyes were slightly shadowed*.

"Storm Knight..." He murmured, causing Storm to flinch making Meta Knight slightly confused.

-T-

"Do you know this guy?" Kazegami asked the Thunder god. Gekigami pretended not to hear her as he looked at Tachigami.

"Lower your sword." he said to him before saying the same to Meta Knight's two followers, who glanced at the said and only doing so when he nodded. Hotaru ran a gloved hand though her hair before picking up her sliced mask and putting it inside her coat. She also took her katana and sheathed it.

"I demand to know who are you and what ya want, zoi!" The penguin king said, quite loudly.

Gekigami sighed, "For starters, seeing as you are the king, you should know that introducing one's self is indeed more polite than asking someone else's name." he said.

"Humph, if you must know I'm King Dedede, The ruler of Dreamland! Over here is my useless secretary, Escargon! And it appears that you've meet my servants and guards!" He said, crossing his arms. Hotaru yawned.

"You mean the orange things, the orange with an eyeball, Blue*, Sword and Blade knight?" she asked.

"Er... Yes. The waddle dees, Captain Waddle Doo, Meta, Sword, and Blade Knight." Escargon filled in before glaring daggers at the four of them.

Gekigami bowed, "And as for us, I am Gekigami, Knight of Storms. My comrades are Tachigami the White Swordmaster, Kazegami, and Hotaru." he said, Standing up to his full hight (which was about the same hight, perhaps taller, as the King) indicating to each one of them.

"What we don't get titles?" Kazegami muttered. Tachigami sighed before rolling his eyes.

"Both Hotaru and myself are truly sorry about attacking you, your highness. Though, by any chance... have you been in contact with an Oni recently?" He asked only to be smacked on the back of the head by Hotaru.

"The reason we're all here is because we were traveling to the land south of Dreamland when we felt a disturbance here and decided to check it out." Hotaru lied, earning a weird look from Escargon but a curious one from the King.

"That being said we may stick around." Kazegami added before looking around.

"Who said you could, lady?" Said the snail. before kazegami could come up with something to say, Dedede's annoying laughter sounded though the large throne room.

"Then be sure to drop by every now an then!" the king said flashing what tachigami guessed was the king's "killer smile" towards woman.

Hotaru frowned, "As if." she muttered.

Kazegami smiled before giving a thumbs up to the group.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tachigami asked before rolling his eyes and looking at Gekigami and Hotaru.

"What's next?" he asked.

Gekigami sighed and looked towards Meta Knight and his two followers- that were named (according to Hotaru) Sword Knight and Blade Knight, now which one was which was the difficult part.

"Sir Meta Knight, do you know of a place where we can talk?" He asked. Meta Knight nodded and Gekigami made a 'lead the way' gesture.

-Time skip-

"Good Amaterasu, I knew other countries had technology but I've never seen anything like this!" Kazegami said placing a hand on the unfinished battle ship Meta Knight called the _Halbard._

"You actually went through with building this thing, I'm impressed considering how you're nearly halfway done and only have two helpers." Gekigami said, sounding mildly impressed. Hotaru nodded in agreement, keeping an eye on Kazegami who was running along the length of the battleship, happily.

"I suppose we should get started." Meta Knight said, wrapping his cape around his body. Tachigami nodded and he- along with sword and blade- started moving (empty) crates over in a circular formation before the group of seven sat.

"First things first, why the HELL did you give Tachigami a title but not us?" Kazegami asked, indicating towards him, he rolled his eyes before answering for Gekigami.

"It's because you don't have one." He told her. She frowned.

"I know that but The white swordmaster and Storm Knight, no one calls you two that." She protested.

"Enough you two, people at Home call Tachigami that." Hotaru said, glaring at the two making them shut up.

"I've been meaning to ask, but how did you get here, anyways?" Gekigami piped up, looking at the three Knights.

"Same way we always do, Landed." Meta Knight shrugged. Gekigami nodded and leaned back bit.

"So... If you're here I'm assuming that the war did not end well, seeing that I felt a delivery system in the throne room."

"You are correct. For all we know, we are the last few Star Warriors left. 'We' being Myself, You, Ice, Saki, and Kirby." The blue Knight said.

"So, Gekigami... how exactly do you and Sir Meta Knight meet? After all he seemed to recognize you when you made a dramatic entrance." Sword Knight asked.

"Long story, but I'll shorten it for the sake of time." Gekigami yawned before taking a breath.

"When we were imprisoned as constellations most of us, if not all, split into two forms; Zodiac and Gijinka- Animal and Human to you, I suppose." he started glancing at the three Knights.

"You also should remember that our clothing style was indeed different, if I remember correctly both myself and Sakigami had a style similar to Hotaru's but that's not the point.

"I know that Itegami- or Ice- and Sakigami- Saki- and myself awoke in a Galaxy Soldier Army (GSA) Trainee camp. We would've been put into the camp as rookies if it weren't for the fact that Sakigami and Itegami were able to beat the five star warriors that had threatened us. I was out cold for the most part, but hey, how many times can you see a guy summoning lightning and shooting arrows with the lightning?" He explained.

"But in the end, it didn't matter. You three were sent into the field right away." Hotaru said.

"Correct, showing our abilities have them a reason to send us out into the field. Though good things did come out of it. We were dropped off onto a woodland planet where we were to meet up with two star warriors and a ninja." Gekigami continued, looking at Meta Knight, "Those star warriors were Meta Knight and a hooded figure named Severa."

Hotaru made a soft noise. One that only Tachigami seemed to hear- being that he was sitting next to her.

"The ninja was Yamikage." Meta Knight added, his eyes flashing red before changing back to golden yellow.

"Right, anyways most of the time Severa and Sakigami fought well together while Itegami, Jacara*- another Star Warrior- Meta Knight, and myself fought side-by-side with many others such as Garlude, Arthur, and Falspar. Months and then years passed but In the end most of the others that were on the planet were sent to another planet or they were killed. Few were left but most of the few were still fighting. One night though we were ambushed, unprepared, and out few were made fewer. It was more difficult because Garlude had been slain and both Sakigami and Severa had disappeared, Sakigami because he had been reawakened though why Severa left is still a mystery even to me now- being that both Sakigami and Herself had disappeared when they were sent to retrieve Eclipse- but to make matters even worse Jacara was taken from us. Itegami gave chance to the demon beast that had taken Jacara but was unable to take it down. Years later I felt my calling form Amaterasu to come back to aid her. That is where my tale ends but Itegami told me that when I left the rest of the remaining GSA wasn't doing well and as soon as Itegami felt that he was being called he told you something, Meta Knight." Gekigami finished, sighing.

Meta Knight blinked, "He did, he said 'whenever the darkness of hopelessness nears, remember that there will always be hope, and that you must always look towards the stars, because the stars bring hope to many people.' is what he said to me before vanishing into the horde of demon beasts." He said.

Tachigami pondered this, _'many times both Itegami and Yomigami answer in riddles, like Waka does though Itegami and Yomigami always have a duel meaning that's easier to find...'_ He thought before it clicked. "I think he ment, 'Whenever there's darkness there's always light even if you cannot find it because Hope, Hope is the light in your heart. Small but bright like a star.' or something." He said before tuning to Hotaru.

"Question, how did you know about Gekigami getting sent strait into the battle field?" he asked. She seemed to stiffen.

"Lucky guess." she said before closing her eyes for a moment.

"So it's safe to assume that Sakigami and Ic- Itegami are alive. That's good." Meta knight said.

"Agreed. And Kirby, is he the chosen one of prophecy?" Gekigami asked.

"Yes." The blue knight said as his two followers nodded.

"Good, then how about we go find him." The thunder god said, standing.

"Then lets go." Meta Knight said hopping off the crate with Sword and Blade Knight.

Tachigami nodded and stood as did Kazegami and Hotaru.

-MK-

"Gekigami, naze anata wa karera ni Severa no ni genkyū shimashita ka?*" Hotaru hissed to Gekigami in what Meta Knight believed was the native language of Nippon.

_'She said Severa... could she have known her?'_ he thought, He had tried to study a bit of their native language but gave up being that there were few books on their land and any scrolls he had come across were in the native print. He glanced at the two before opening the lift to lead them to the stairs that would take them back up to the castle grounds. Sword and Blade had rushed ahead to clear the area of Waddle Doo, Escargon, King Dedede, or anyone else before they came up.

The thunder god looked at the black-clad young-woman and sighed, "Watashi wa dekinakatta koto o shiranakatta*."

She shook her head and the two continued on in silence.

1*: Gekigami's clothing design is also difficult.

2*: It appears that Meta already has a nickname... Lol not.

3*: Knuckle Joe's Father's fan name. I think it fits.

4*: Roughly translates to "Gekigami, why did you tell them about Severa?" In japanese. I used google translate so its not the most accurate.

5*: Roughly translates to "I wasn't told that I couldn't." in Japanese, I used google translate so its not the most accurate.


	7. Chapter 7

_" Well, I'm not one to mince words. I just state the facts." _

_~ Mr. Orange (Okami)_

_'Thoughts'_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN BeAsT/OnI SpEaCh" **

-MK-

Pupupu village, a quiet peaceful place. Who was he kidding? Meta Knight was sure that it was anything but peaceful today.

_~Earlier~_

Meta Knight led the group of four into the village, he had ordered both Sword and Blade to stay at the castle. As usual the villagers we're milling about doing their everyday things.

"And did you see the look on his face?" One of the woman asked her friends as they walked by. Mayor Len greeted the group- well mainly Meta Knight to be honest.

"Good day, Meta Knight and...?" Mayor Len greeted them, looking at the group behind him.

"Gekigami."

"Kazegami~!"

"Tachigami..."

"... Hotaru."

Each of them introduced themselves to the mayor of the village.

"Have you seen the children around?" Meta Knight asked the mayor, wrapping his Dimensional Cape around him. To be completely honest he felt out of place asking Len or any of the villagers about much. Kawasaki had been an exception once, though it was more like the two were assisting each other without it needing to be said. He was sure that the villagers felt uncomfortable with him asking or at least suspicious about him.

"If I'm correct, then the children had left for a picnic in Whispy Woods..." The mayor replied after a bit of hesitation towards them. He nodded before looking at the four.

"I feel like I have to go do something but I can't figure out what..." Tachigami was muttering. Kazegami's eyes were following the Mayor as he left to go talk to Mr. Curio* and Gus. Both Gekigami and Hotaru seemed more or less distracted.

"Shall we get going?" He asked making the four's attention come back to the task at hand.

"Right, lets go." Stor- Gekigami answered, seeming more than ready to meet Kirby. Meta Knight frowned under his mask but nodded, it was difficult calling him by his actual name instead of Storm Knight, the Name he always called him by during their time on the battle field together with his comrades. '_Come to think about it, the sword Hotaru has on her back... it looks just like Eclipse does. The only way to make sure it's not just some other sword if for her to draw it, only the person who its bound* can show its true form.' _Meta knight thought as they walked up the dirt path towards Whispy Woods.

"Stop." Hotaru suddenly said. Her visible eye narrowed as a group of people emerged from the wood's edge. Tachigami's sword was raised as soon as he saw the figures as well as Kazegami's hands. Gekigami and Hotaru hadn't moved too much but Meta Knight saw the lightning sparks around his hands and Hotaru's hand reach towards her Katana.

Meta Knight sighed as he recognized the figures. He held his hand out to signal the four behind him to lower their weapons.

It was only Fumu, Bun, Kirby, and some of the other cappy children- Iroo, Honhe, and Honey- along with Lololo and Lalala.

"Sir Meta Knight!" Fumu exclaimed, seeing him and the others.

"Oh it's her." Tachigami sighed before jamming the tip of his sword into the dirt and leaning on it. Kazegami raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fumu, I met her earlier today when I was walking up to the castle." he said, closing his eyes for a moment. Meta Knight shook his head as the children ran over to them. Gekigami walked to stand next to him, Hotaru not to far behind.

"Good day, Fumu, Bun, Kirby." He said nodding to them.

"Who are your friends?" Bun asked, eyeing Gekigami's Bow and quiver of arrows at his side.

"I don't think Friends is the right term... more like acquaintances." He heard Hotaru mutter before he looked up at Gekigami.

"One of them- Gekigami- is an old friend from the war, the others are simply acquaintances." He said, Gekigami raised his hand in greeting.

"Well then, Hello.. erm...?" Fumu started but trailed off, not knowing their names.

"Oh, sorry I'm Gekigami." Gekigami said, bowing a bit before looking at Hotaru.

"Hotaru, pleased to meet you, Fumu." She said holding out her hand, which Fumu shook.

"Kazegami, hello to all of you." Kazegami smiled. Tachigami frowned.

"You already know me, Fumu." He said but sighed, stood and pulled his sword from the ground, "I'm Tachigami." He told the children.

Fumu eyed Tachigami before turning to her friends and then to them.

"Well I'm Fumu for starters," she said pointing to her self and then her brother and Kirby, "That's my brother Bun and Kirby," She added before pointing towards The cappy children, Lololo, and Lalala.

"This is Honhe, Iroo, and Honey." she said pointing to each of them.

"And we're Lololo," "And Lalala." The two remaining said to the four with Meta Knight.

"Well, Sir Meta Knight," Fumu said turning to him, "You usually aren't in the village much less up near Whispy woods unless there's a problem. Is there?" She asked him. He looked at Kirby and then Gekigami.

"I wanted to show Gekigami that not all was lost." Was all he said before turning to Gekigami, who had taken a step forward.

"So this is Kirby..." Gekigami said crouching down to look Kirby in the eyes.

"Poyo?" Kirby blinked putting one if his paws* in his mouth.

"He's so young... and pink. He kinda looks like..." Gekigami trailed off before standing, "Hey Meta Knight, is this guy related to Galactic*?" He asked him. Meta Knight's eyes flashed a glowing green for a moment.

"We're still unsure of his origins." He told Gekigami before he turned and walked back towards the village. Gekigami shrugged and followed him with Hotaru and Tachigami right behind them. Kazegami and the children followed shortly after.

_~Present Time~_

_'How Tachigami roped us into helping serve tables, I'd gladly like to know.' _Meta Knight thought as he balanced a Bowl of Miso Ramen and a tray of green tea on one hand and a plate with pork buns with Kawasaki's spicy curry in the other. So much for a peaceful day. Looking to his left he saw Hotaru writing down Gus, Curio, Samo, and Mabel's orders.

Kawasaki's food was a huge hit.

When the group had gotten to the village Tachigami started freaking out because he forgot to drop by Kawasaki's restaurant to help the poor chef improve his cooking- though weather or not it'll work depends on how hard the two of them work- but in the end Tachigami gave up after two hours before lunch time and just told Kawasaki to do what he did when he was making the food. The first person to stop in for lunch was actually the children. Kawasaki took their orders and went back to the back kitchen. Meta Knight and the others were just waiting for Tachigami at one of the many empty tables in the restaurant. After eating the children were crying... tears of joy. Kazegami looked into the back kitchen where she found Tachigami giving a hi-five to Kawasaki, who was also crying years of joy. after that everything got hectic and both Kazegami and Gekigami were kidnapped to work in the kitchen.

And then... Hotaru and Meta Knight were forced to wait tables. Kazegami roped Fumu and Bun to do it as well with Kirby, Honey, Honhe, and Iroo. Though Kirby wasn't much help and the line was already out the door.

_'To be honest, Kazegami with a butchers knife is something I'd rather not see. ever. again.'_ Meta Knight thought as he set down Chief Bourn and Miss Sato's food and walking away before the two could comment about him being there.

Fumu, Bun, Gekigami, and Kirby rushed past with extra Tables and fold-up chairs for outside, though Gekigami was carrying the two tables.

Meta Knight sighed and glanced at the clock, _'just thirty more minutes until lunch ends and hopefully the crowd.'_ He thought moving around Hotaru who was balancing a Pizza platter and a drink tray in each hand. Her face was blank but her eye was blazing with annoyance.

_'I'm not the only one...' _he mused, eyes flashing pink before he went to get the next food trey for Mayor Len, Miss Hana, and their grandchildren.

Shouts from outside and the sound of a loud motor signaled something. The king had arrived.

Meta Knight sat down the treys of food he was carrying, as did Hotaru.

"WHAT IS GOIN' ON IN HERE?! DON'T 'CHA KNOW BLOCKIN' THA ROAD IS A CRIME?!" King Dedede's yell could be heard from outside. Meta Knight wrapped his cape around himself once again before both he and Hotaru managed to get outside.

Outside the restaurant King Dedede and Escargon- plus some Waddle Dees- were trying to interrogate the cappies who were in the outdoor seating. Emphasis on trying. It was more like shouting and demanding.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" Hotaru asked walking over to where King Dedede had flipped the table Bun had been taking food to over. Her eye glared at Dedede.

_'And if looks could kill Dedede has just been slaughtered brutally' _Meta Knight thought walking over as well.

"This crowd of cappies are blockin' the road. Whats the specal occasion and why kawasaki's crap shack?" Escargon asked, hands balled by his sides.

"Um, is lunch time?" Hotaru blinked before pulling out a pocket watch from one inside of her coat. Opening it she checked the time. "2:30 actually so not lunch time, just rush hour." She corrected, closing it and putting it back into her coat.

"Humph, if that's the case then why don't we dine out this afternoon, majesty?" Escargon asked.

"Lets see if Kawasaki's is any good from tha last time we were here!" King Dedede said, pushing his way inside with Escargon following. Hotaru sighed and looked at Meta Knight.

"Just for that I'm making Kirby serve him his food." she said, leaving to find Kirby. He sighed before walking over to Bun.

"Lets get this table turned back up." He said, letting go of the edges of his cape. Bun nodded and the two of them worked to turn the table back up. Bun turned to the cappy couple who were sitting there.

"I'm really sorry, we can move you to a different table, if you like." the boy was saying as Meta Knight walked back inside.

Inside King Dedede and Escargon were seated, ordering basically everything. '_Most likely thinking that they won't have to play for a thing if they dislike it. I'll see if Kazegami can switch with Fumu at the Host/Hostess podium.'_ he thought, chuckling to himself.

-Time Skip-

Meta Knight, Hotaru, Fumu, Bun, and Gekigami were sitting (or standing) at an empty table who were, more or less, exhausted. Kirby and Kazegami walked on over from the door where Kazegami had been putting up the 'closed' sign for the night. Tachigami and Kawasaki were cleaning up the kitchen.

Hotaru was face down on the table, Fumu and Bun were leaning against each other. Gekigami had his arms crossed and his eyes closed, leaning against the wall. Sighing, Meta Knight looked over to the exhausted group.

"Thanks for your help everyone!" Kawasaki said, walking out from the kitchen with Tachigami.

"Yeah, whatever! We were happy to help!" Kazegami said happily.

"Poyo!" Kirby agreed, jumping into the Air.

Meta Knight shifted from where he was standing next toGekigami to one of the chairs around the table. Hotaru muttered a, 'Yeah right. Only for you Kaze.' that was barely audible.

Tachigami walked out next, carrying several bowls of Miso Ramen, Soy Ramen, and Spicy Ramen on a tray, "I thought you guys would like something to eat." He said placing the tray down before he took a bowl of soy ramen for himself. Kazegami took two bowls of spicy ramen, one for her and one for Kirby.

"Carful, Kirby, its spicy!" She said setting the bowl down in front of Kirby.

"Spicy, Poyo!" he cheered, slurping it down.

Next to Meta Knight, Hotaru made no movements towards the food, nor did he or Gekigami though, Fumu and Bun gladly accepted the food placed in front of them.

"How do you feel about working tomorrow?" Kawasaki asked, rubbing his hands together in a hopeful fashion.

"I REFUSE!" Hotaru suddenly yelled sitting upright in a flash and slamming her right fist on the table. Kazegami winced at her yelling. Meta Knight nodded.

"I have to agree." He sighed, "Sorry, Kawasaki but I'm afraid leaving Sword and Blade up to their own devices isn't the best idea." he added. Gekigami also shook his head.

"Lunch lasted till close." was all he said.

"Plus we're not getting paid." Hotaru added. Gekigami chuckled.

"We're getting free food out of him so its enough pay*." Tachigami pointed-out. She stuck her tongue out.

"How about a compromise, every other day they can come in and help?" Fumu asked.

"Depends on what's going on that day." Hotaru sighed, agreeing nonetheless.

"It works for us." Gekigami and Kazegami said in unison. Tachigami nodded.

Meta Knight sighed, "Unlike the others I won't be able to make it often." he them. Kawasaki nodded in agreement before he stood.

"Gekigami, do you have a place to stay for the night?" Meta Knight asked him, walking towards the door. The god of thunder storms blinked.

"Nope." he said.

"They both you and Hotaru can stay within the castle, assuming you two are alright with splitting up with the other two." he offered.

"I don't see why not? I'm staying here, if ya don't mind, Kawasaki." Tachigami said looking at the chef.

"Not at all~!" He said happily. Kazegami shrugged.

"I agree, I don't see why not! After all, you guys can handle yourselves." She said.

"What about you?" Fumu asked her.

"What?"

"Where will you stay?"

"I have no idea!"

Hotaru face-planted.

-G-

"Alright then, See you." He said, walking out of Kawasaki's with Hotaru. Waiting outside was Meta Knight.

"Lets go." He said to them before walking towards the castle. Gekigami glanced at Hotaru and followed the knight to Castle Dedede. Hotaru sighed and followed a bit behind the two.

"I have a question." He said softly to the night next to him.

"Hm?" Meta Knight looked up at him.

"You seem to have an odd interest in Hotaru. You offered both of us and yet you could've just asked for me or for me and one of the others just as easily." He told him, glancing back at Hotaru who seemed to be walking on instinct, no doubt having an inner conversation with Kuro Arumi or something.

Meta Knight's eyes glowed a shimmering green. As usual, Gekigami guessed what this ment- Deep in thought, or just thoughtful.

After a moment the knight sighed.

"She has an odd resemblance to Severa." He said. Gekigami frowned.

"I've never noticed it before now." he lied.

"I'm surprised that you haven't." Meta Knight said as they walked over the drawbridge, giving a nod to the Waddle Dees who were on the night guard shift.

"I guess if you look at her and try to imagine her with blue markings in her hair, Red eyes, and shorter hair then sure." Gekigami mused as they walked into the castle.

In the shadowed room behind Customer Service, only illuminated by a faint light, sat several figures. Only the light of their eyes showed where they were sitting.

"It appears that Severa has found yet another rag-tag group, hohoho!" Customer Service reported to his master, Nightmare, who was in the middle of the others.

"It also seems that Yami was right." One of the figures scoffed, its voice was female and her eyes were a dark Amber color and the voice came from the left of the Demon King.

"For once." The voice that belonged to the second set of amber eyes seated next to the other amber eyes said, this one's voice was male.

"Hey! Watch it, demon beast!" A hollow, metallic voice snarled, this one (male) was the only one whose eyes weren't visible but the glow of the green mist around him showed were he was. He was sitting next to the twin pairs of amber eyes.

"Shut up, the three of you." Nightmare said. The three on his right said nothing for a moment.

"The game just got interesting." A feminine voice said. Single red, fox-like eye gleamed in the darkness. The figure next to her nodded.

"Indeed it has, and your master will soon rise and aid us, is that correct?" The green-eyed figure asked. A movement from the red-eyed figure signaled the confirmation.

A satisfied silence settled over the group.

"So, in the end, darkness will rule." The sixth figure said. His single eyes was and piercing blue and was narrowed as if he wasn't at all that interested in the conversation.

"Yes, soon the galaxy will belong to us!" Nightmare said, letting out an evil laugh.

"For the King of Demons* and the Emperor of Darkness*!" The figures proclaimed. as they all stood and left.

All but the blue-eyed one.

"Lets hope they've made their funeral arrangements." He said, vanishing after the others.

*1: I believe I spelt his name correct...

*2: like Galaxia in a sense, though its bound by the soul and will re-bound itself to the next wielder it deems worthy if its master's soul vanishes from the living world. As for the 'true form' it appears to be an ordinary silver sword if drawn by anyone who isn't its master. when drawn by its master its appearance changes.

*3: Hands, Paws, stubs... um I'm calling them Paws or hands... Idek.

*4: Also Known as Galacta Knight.

*5: Equivalent exchange.

*6: It seemed like a fitting name for Nightmare.

*7: Ninetails called Yami that once...


	8. Chapter 8

_"Death, it smiles at each man. Some try and hide, others try and fight it. But in truth, all a man can do is smile back."_

_~Unknown (Unknown)_

_'Thoughts'_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN bEaSt/OnI sPeEcH"**

-MK-

He wasn't surprised when he heard the door that led to his and his Knaves' quarters open at four in the morning. Nor was he surprised when Hotaru walked out onto the balcony that he was standing on.

"Couldn't sleep?" He asked her, turning around. She sighed and leaned her back against the stone wall of the balcony.

"No, not really." She said.

He turned back to the sky.

"Who exactly are you?" She suddenly asked after a few moments of silence, taking him by surprise, "I don't mean name, age, race, etc etera, but more like WHAT are you? You're a knight, but at the sometime you're not. In a way your are like me. I'll can speak from first hand experience, appearance rarely shows the whole truth. Nightmare knows this and used this to his advantage. He "allied" himself with Lord Yami in order to become a bit stronger, he thought that adding Yami wouldn't be much of a change but he was wrong. He tried using Yami as a pawn and paid the price, I hope that helps you and Kirby in some way." She said, walking back inside. Pausing, she glanced back at him.

"I apologize for confusing you, Sir Meta Knight, but please understand I have my reasons for telling you and not Gekigami or the others*." She said softly before disappearing inside. The sound of footsteps echoed from inside.

Shaking his head, Meta Knight's eyes slowly glowed green before flashing white. Hotaru's words echoed in his mind.

_"He tried using Yami as a pawn and paid the price."_

Sighing, he hopped off the balcony wall and walked into he and his Knaves' quarters to wake Sword and Blade up... only to open the door and See sword and Blade sitting at the table and have the sent of waffles, Eggs, and bacon waft from the mini-kitchen.

"Um... good morning, Sir!" The two said together.

"Hey, Meta Knight!" Gekigami called from the kitchen.

He blinked and blinked again. "Good morning, I hope you realized that it's currently four-thirty." He replied.

"We know, sir! Gekigami was already up and offered us all breakfast*." Blade reported. Meta Knight sighed.

"I might as well join you then." He said, sitting in the fourth chair.

-Time Skip, K-

"Kazegami!" someone called to her from under the tree she had been sleeping in

"What?" She asked, groggilly getting up.

"Kazegami! I need your help! Kirby has been put under a sleeping spell!" A little blonde girl-thing* yelled.

_'Do I know this girl...? Ah! wait she's the girl from before... What was her name again? Famu, Fomu? No... Fumu was it?'_ She thought, getting down from the tree. "What? Kirby's under a sleeping spell? Not good. Did Kasugami come to town?" She asked Fumu.

"Yeah.. I mean - NO! He sucked up a Noddy from wherever King Dedede orders monsters from and fell asleep! Now we need to get the Pukkii flower to wake him up!" she took off a knapsack net with Starkid* in it, sleeping soundly, holding a candy bar against his face.

"Huh, from what I understood puking a flower is the cure? and I don't want to really do that. Ah, dammit, first day here for us and the kiddo already is attacked. I wonder what Gekigami will do?" She sighed, leaning against the tree. Ever seance she left Nippon she's been feeling a bit... blah. _'Maybe I need a drink... I wonder if they have sake?' And what the hell is a "Noddy"?'_ She thought

"NO! The Pukkii flower, we need to find it! It's a cure for the spell!" Fumu explained and ran down to a nearby dock where she had made a minature log canoe.

"You're telling me a FLOWER will wake him up?" Kazegami sighed. Oh where was Sakigami* when you need him.

-Time Skip-

"It is pretty nice around here." Kazegami said, admiring the view.

"Why don't you try to row the boat this time? I only brought you along to help me, not to go sightseeing." Fumu huffed.

"Hmm, why me though? I mean sure I was sleeping in the tree in the center of Pupupu village but Tachigami was at Kawasaki's." She mused.

"The others wouldn't help or I couldn't find. Tachigami actually wasn't at Kawasaki's, he was training with the knights, Gekigami was watching the knights and Hotaru vanished." Fumu said.

"That's just like her, she disappears and reappears wherever and whenever she wants to." Kazegami said, laughing a bit.

Fumu frowned.

"Are you on a voyage to Bababagahara?" Escargon asked as they suddenly appeared on the road near the river.

"Baba-what now?" Kazegami asked Fumu.

"It's the place where there are dense jungles and the Pukkii flower is in a cave somewhere there." Fumu explained to her.

"Where's Bakugami* when you need him?" She muttered.

"Take care not to be some monster's meal!" Dedede taunted

"Like hell. If anything it's gonna get is ass handed to it." She yelled back.

"Kazegami, language*." Fumu muttered as Dedede and Escargoon drove away.

"What?" She asked, leaning over the edge of the boat and tracing a finger across the water.

But before Fumu could answer, Bun jumped in from out of nowhere on the side of our boat, causing it to rock; Fumu flew into the water and Kazegami fell over the side.

"Bun! Get back here!" The wind goddess yelled, as he rowed away with their boat.

"I'm going." he said, looking back at us.

"Wait! We're coming too!" Fumu yelled, and tried to swim after him. Kazegami, however, swam to the bank of the river.

"Who was the one who said this was my responsibility?" Bun asked.

"Why'd you tell him that? Was it really his responsibility?" She muttered, Wringing out her hair and checking to make sure her green uchiwa was still in her hair.

"We're coming too. This is our responsibility as well." Lololo and Lalala flew in from nowhere.

"You can follow if you want but don't get I'm my way." He told them.

"Hold on! Bun! Lololo! Lalala! Wait! *gurgle gurgle*" Fumu struggled to swim against the current.

They rowed out of sight, and then suddenly a rope came down, and Fumu caught hold.

"Grab hold." a voice said.

Kazegami looked up from trying to wring all the water out if her hair. Meta Knight stood in a tree with a rope in hand.

"How'd HE-" she started, then threw it away. She and Hotaru shared a room back in Nippon. She should be used to it.

"So I assume you want to go and ditch them?" She called up.

"No, not really. I have the exact opposite in my mind, actually." He answered, helping Fumu up onto shore.

"I hope you had Gekigami make breakfast or at least have food with you." She said, walking over.

-Skip-

Fumu, Meta knight and Kazegami watched Bun, Lololo and Lalala dock the boat and wander off into the woods.

They went a long ways into the woods, following Bun's complaints about who should carry Kirby, who's tired, etc etera.

_'The kid seems too overconfident, if you ask me.' _Kazegami thought.

Bun wasn't letting Lololo or Lalala help him, even if he was getting tired. And then the three started arguing, and Kirby flew off Bun's backpack into the cavern below.

Meta Knight nodded to her and Fumu and the three followed Kirby down.

"Oh great." She sighed once she saw where Kirby had landed. Kirby was caught in a spider's web, with a slowly accelerating spider right behind.

"Kirby!" Fumu cried, but Meta knight stopped her.

"Wait!"

"Ah! Kaabii! He's in trouble!" Bun panicked.

The spider started to wrap Kirby in a mound of web.

Bun started panicking even more, "Are you really okay with being a spider's meal for lunch?!" He asked earning no response from the pink marshmallow-like puff. Then, in a pathetic attempt, he picked up a stick and threw it down, thinking it'd drive the spider away. At the same time, Meta knight threw a rock and Kazegami sent a small gale at the spider- though she hoped that her two companions hadn't noticed. Bun missed, but Meta Knight and Kazegami didn't, and the spider crawled away, damaged on its face.

Kazegami quickly ducked behind the tree. "Did anyone see?"

"No."

Kazegami let out a sigh of relief.

"I did it! It ran away!" Bun did a little joy dance.

"Hey! Lololo! Lalala!" he called, probably to tell them his victory of how he 'drove away' the spider.

"For crying out loud. He doesn't know it was thanks to you two." Fumu sighed.

"However, you can appreciate his courage to fight the spider." Meta knight said.

"True though if it was one from home he wouldn't stand a chance." Kazegami smirked.

"Sakigami did mention that the spiders in Nippon were fairly... large." Meta Knight said.

"Call it courage, or call it recklessness..." Fumu crossed her arms. "This doesn't bode well." she tapped her foot on the ground.

"Yep, sure doesn't. He's got alot of 'courage' to knock us off our own boat, if I say so myself." Kazegami said, looking at Meta knight.

"But I wish you could have seen my amazing feat." Bun told Lololo and Lalala.

And then Bun threw he ball of wrapped up-web and it accidentally hit a random wasp nest that was just sitting there.

"Oh, now he's gone and done it." Kazegami sighed. "Out of all the things to hit, he hits a wasp nest? The odds are not in our favor today."

The wasps chased them around for a moment, until they- Bun and Kirby- fell into a swamp.

After the bees left, Bun crawled over to pick up Kirby, then, "It's a bottomless swamp!" he cried.

"EHHH?!" Lololo and Lalala exclaimed.

"What I'd give to be able to use Hasugami's waterlily technique right now." She whispered.

Meta knight cut down a tree to help them get out of the swamp.

"Good job." Fumu said.

"Yes, tree-cutter Blueberry Knight* saves the day." Kazegami smirked. Meta Knight glared at her as he sheathed his sword again.

"I'm tired." Lalala said.

"Really. We were lucky today." Lololo said.

"Lucky thanks to my skills. At this rate, We'll get the Pyukii flower in no time!" Bun said. They were sitting against a tree in the broad sunset.

"Oh yeah? Wanna bet?" Kazegami muttered under her breath.

"Shh, Kaze*." Fumu said once again. Kazegami huffed but Fumu didn't notice, "Jeez. After being so scared, he's still overconfident."

"It's because of that confidence that he doesn't give up." Meta knight followed.

"We might have to give up before he does." Fumu said.

"Well if YOU want to give up, go ahead. Just exclude the '_WE_' from your sentence, I personally find this almost as fun as racing Tobi." Kazegami said, recalling fond memories of running along side of Amaterasu when they (and Issun) had challenged Tobi on Oni Island.

"Humph, fine." Fumu crossed her arms.

"Good. I'm going to sleep now." Kazegami climbed up the tree Meta knight was standing in, and lay down on the opposite side.

The next morning, the three of them followed them to the cave where the supposedly Pyukii flower was in.

"That looks like a...cave." Kazegami pointed out, putting her hands behind her head.

"Ssh!" Fumu said.

"Let's go." Bun said, and went in.

"Finally. Let's hope nothing happens before they reach the Pyukii flower." Fumu said.

"And I guarantee you, that hope will go to waste." Kazegami said, shaking her head.

"Sir Meta knight?" Tiff asked.

"Ssh!" he shushed her out. Kazegami shrugged.

"Aaaahhh!" Bun, Lololo and Lalala ran out of the cave, screaming. What looked like a cobra from the Desert lands came out.

"Spider, death swamp, and now killer cobra?" she yelped, hiding behind the tree.

Bun tripped over a tree stump, and lay down on the ground, still as a statue.

_'Dear goddess Amaterasu, please spare this boy.' _Kazegami thought, reaching back to the uchiwa* in her hair, preparing to jump out and use it, with the combined force of Gale storm, to kill this snake.

And then Meta knight sent it away with a little trap made out of a log, rope, and a rock. Kazegami's hand dropped from where it had been hovering by her uchiwa.

_'Anti-climatic much?'_ She thought, watching as the snake fell off the 50 foot cliff.

Then Bun picked up a leaf from the ground and waved it around widly for about 10 seconds, and stopped once he noticed nothing was there. Kazegami snickered.

"Huh? It's gone." Bun said, as he jumped up.

"Did you see just now? The snake was frightened by my courage and ran away." Bun said as Lololo and Lalala reappeared from the woods.

"Did you see? The Great Bun's Amazing Victory!" He said as he held the leaf up high into the air.

"...Seriously?" She facepalmed as they stared at them.

"This is so irritating! He's so deluded!" Fumu said, wringing her hands.

"More like overwhelming naiiveness." Kazegami said.

"I want to give him a piece of my mind!" Fumu declared.

"You do that. I'll watch." She added.

After 'chasing' away the great big snake, Bun and the others re-entered the cave. The three of them follwed them down one pathway, then another.

"Didn't you notice that smell a while ago?" Lalala asked.

"See, Kirby's reacting to it." "It's true!" the two told Bun.

"Yeah, something smells sweet. Let's go!" Bun said. It was about that time when Kazegami instantly thought of Mrs. Orange's cherry cakes. Why, She didn't know.

They followed them into a dead end of the cave, where a sliver of light found its way onto a lone plant, that looked something like-

"So this is the Pyukii flower." Bun said, putting his torch down.

"What!? It's a cactus*!" Kazegami hissed, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

"This is what will make Kirby wake up?" Lololo asked.

"It doesn't seem to be blooming." Lalala said.

As if on cue, it bloomed. The cactus leaves split apart, revealing a pinkish-peachish flower glinting in the ray of light.

"Wow. That's one flower." Kazegami said, staring, "Sakigami would be jealous."

"Pretty." Fumu said. Kazegami facepalmed.

"At last, Kirby will be..." Lololo began.

"Let's go!" Bun said, and they took a step forward.

She gasped as soon as he did so.

Not only the flower bloomed, but things that looked like venus flytraps* on a vine stretched out from the sides.

"AAHH!" the three said as they were scooped into the air by some vines.

Then one of the flytraps shoved it's face into Bun's and let out a roar.

It was about to eat him when Meta knight took his sword and slashed all three of the vines that let the captives to freedom.

"Bun!" Fumu called as she ran up to him.

"Sis? What are you doing here? Meta knight? Kazegami?" Bun asked.

"Oh joy! You found us, well time to save the day" Kazegami said, walking in front of Bun.

"Don't you get it? We were worried so we followed you." Fumu explained.

"Pyukii... it is a terrible carnivorus plant." Meta knight said. Kazegami looked at him.

"And you failed to tell this to us earlier why exactly, Sir Blueberry?" She asked. He glared again.

"Carnivorous?" Bun said, shivering.

Meta knight explained that it lets out Noddy's to put a traveler to sleep, then the venus flytraps or something eat it's victim. Kazegami shuddered, she had just noticed the various bones scattered around the plant's lower level.

"So that was the case." Bun said.

Kazegami sighed, staring at the plant before bursting out in a fit of laughter, "If only... haha... oh gods... S-sa.. haha.. Kasugami isn't gonna be happy if I get killed by a plant." She said, calming down.

"Leave this to me." Metaknight said.

"Let him, Bun." Fumu said, ignoring Her again.

"No way!" Bun said.

"Wha-!?" Kazegami looked over, not believing her ears.

"How do you think you got through all the dangerous situations up until now?" Fumu said.

Bun gasped. "You mean the one who drove away the spider and that big snake, and knocked down the tree in the bottomless swamp... Could it be?" He asked.

"Ahem, Fumu, I think you just killed his pride." Kazegami said. "...Which is a good thing, by the way."

"Yes, that was Meta knight, and Kazegami, Kinda." Fumu said.

"Glad to know someone pays attention to me!" She said.

And Metaknight jumped up from the ground and started slashing away the Venus Flytrap plants.

"All right! Time to kick some sense into this plant!" She said, running towards the plant. Taking her uchiwa fan out of her hair it extended to a spear-like length. Jumping, she swung her uchiwa and cut though many of the vines.

"Get it! Do your best!" Fumu, Lololo and Lalala cheered.

"You're pressuring me!" She yelled as a vine dodged her (now) spear-like uchiwa.

"Bun? Are you leaving?" Lololo called.

"There's no use for me here, is there?" he said, just as he was about to leave.

"What are you saying?" Lalala said.

"The real hero is fighting over there, isn't he?" Bun said, staring at Meta knight who was moving pretty fast as of now.

"Bun! What are you sulking for?" Fumu called.

"I'm not sulking!" Bun yelled.

"Someone's getting jealous." Kazegami said, dodging more vines and cutting of one more.

"Well, did you come here to be a hero?" Fumu asked. "That's not true, right? it was in order to help Kirby, wasn't it?"

"You know, she's got a valid point there."

"Picnic...picnic..." Kirby mumbled happily. Even in his sleep, Starkid was an adorable sight.

"LOOK OUT!" Kazegami cried, jumping away from an incoming Venus Flytrap's gaping jaws.

"Hey! A little assist here?! What are you waiting for, a winter festival!? Or us to get our ass kicked?" She barked, as their attention turned towards the plant.

Metaknight had somehow been left defenseless, as he was struggling to hold off one of the plants that was about to basically eat him.

"Well, we're screwed." She muttered, jumping back from the Venus Flytraps.

Bun gasped, and seemed to be struggling as to what he was going to do. "You're still looking forward to the picnic... this is why I don't like little kids."

_'But don't you count as a kid?' _She thought.

"YAAAAHHH!" Bun screamed as he suddenly rushed forward. He made a dive attempt to grab meta but one of the plants picked it up and nailed it into the ceiling.

"This is actually a monster that THINKS properly." Kazegami deadpanned.

"And that's a bad thing!" Fumu shouted.

Bun dodged most of the oncoming plants, but got trapped in another vine. He inched closer to the flower, and pulled out one of it's petals. The whole plant roared.

"...Did that hurt it?" She wondered. Swinging her Spear-Uchiwa and slicing through the plant that Meta knight was fighting, and he jumped back down to the ground, looking extremely frazzled and exhausted.

"The Pyukii Flower, it's up to you!" Bun yelled as he was dragged into the air. He dropped the petal into Fumu hands.

"Bun!" Kazegami yelled as she sent a blast of wind at the plant. How the heck was he all suddenly acting like he was thinking suicidal thoughts, was beyond me.

Fumu put the petal in front of Kirby, who suddenly woke up and threw up the Noddy right into a plant's mouth. Just in time too, or else Bun would be a goner.

Kazegami looked up to where Meta Knight's sword was in the ceiling. Smirking she jumped and let the celestial power flow though her. As she got closer to his sword she released a gust of wind, making the sword loose and she the knocked it out of the ceiling with her uchiwa.

The sword landed in front of Kirby.

"Kirby, inhale it!" Bun yelled, and he obliged. he sucked up one of the spikes from the plant.

He copied the needles, and donned a sharp-tipped hat of spikes.

"Yes, that's needle Kirby!" Meta knight exclaimed.

"Wha?" Kazegami was confused.

With a "Poyo!" Kirby threw all the needles on his hat except for the one in front. They cut through all of the Venus Flytrap's (except for the one with a Noddy down it's throat) and Kirby, who acted like a conductor, aimed them perfectly on the leaves.

"You did it!" Fumu and the others yelled.

Kirby went back to normal, "Well done, Starkid." Kazegami smiled, patting Kirby's head.

"AAH!" Bun screamed as the last plant threatened to make a meal of him too, Kazegami reached for the still standing torch but Meta knight beat her to it. The plant was soon engulfed in flames, and it killed the last plant too.

"Kirby! You're all right! Though you got sleeping sickness because of me, now we're even." Bun said as he hugged Kirby.

"Wait, HE put Kirby to sleep?" She asked Fumu who shrugged.

"I guess I didn't tell you all the details." she said.

"Well then next time, please do I even asked!" Kazegami huffed.

"It's thanks to Sir Meta knight and Kazegami, too." Fumu told him.

"Don't say that!" Bun said.

"No, you did well. Offering one's life for a companion is the mark of a fine soilder." Metaknight complimented him.

"Plus, it was fun and as I said last night, I'm happy to help. Even if the others aren't." Kazegami said, shrinking her uchiwa back to it'a normal size and putting it back in her hair.

"Eh, That's right!" Bun put his arms behind his head.

"Uh-huh." She mused

Then Kirby ate his chocolate.

Meta Knight hopped off the rock he was standing on. "We better be headed back, I'm sure your companions are worried about you, Gale*." He said, eyes flashing pink for a moment.

"Crap! I forgot!" She said, grabbing Kirby in one hand, Meta Knight ("Put me down." "No." "Fine.") in the other and crouched down.

"If you want a free and fast ride back to Pupupu village, Bun, Fumu, get on my back. Fololo, Falala hang onto my hair." She ordered. the two children complied and climbed onto her back so that they were heavy holding onto her shoulder with one hand and had an arm wrapped around her neck. Fololo and Falala also did what they were told.

Kazegami then took off runing, then it became a full on sprint. She smirked, hearing Fumu's screams of fear as she narrowly dodged trees and leaped over boulders.

Bun and Kirby seemed to be enjoying the 'ride' and were yellin out of pure joy.

"HOLD ON TIGHT!" She yelled as they neared a cliff that dropped at least fifty feet strait down.

"YOU'LL KILL US!" Fumu screamed as she jumped. Meta Knight tensed as kazegami laughed and summoned the wind. Birightly colored leaves swirled around them. Kazegami was filled with they joyus memories of racing Tobi and from the relaxation from her 'passangers' let her know that they were remembring fond memoreis. A rush of warm air and they were flying* twards the village.

_'Too bad they can't see the ground rushing by because of the leaves.'_ she thought, slightly sad but knew that without the leaves acting as a pretevtive barrier the risks of flying with more than one other person.

Landing on one of the many balconies of castle Dedede the leaves disappeared into the wind. putting down Kirby and Meta Knight- who was muttering something about the laws of physics or something- she attempted to pry off the two kids from her back. Key word: Attempted. Once Bun realized that they weren't in the air he slid off her back and helped her pry his sister off the wind goddess' back.

"Never. Again." Fumu said to her.

Before she could respond two feet collided with the side of her head, sending her flying. She slammed against the wall and hit her head. She barely had time to register what the person looked like before her vision went black.

-MK-

Meta Knight turned as he heard a dull thud and Fumu gasp. Kazegami lay unmoving against the the wall of the balcony. Where she was standing was a young man with messy, white hair. He was dressed in white pants and shoes but had a black shirt with an 'M'- like symbol in red and had a white jacket over the shirt. He also had a long, red hairband tied around his forehead. A red scar went across one of his eyes. White smoke curled around his boots.

"Technically I was supposed to wait until nightfall, but I just couldn't wait! I'm a very inpatient person when it comes to doing these things and it doesn't even matter if I get to take out a goddess and two Starwarriors!" The young man said.

_'Goddess?' _Meta Knight thought as his eyes flashed white then red, "Who are you." He said, drawing Galaxia and stepping in front of the Embrum children, Lololo, Lalala, and Kirby.

"It wouldn't be fun if I told you right off the bat now would it, Starwarrior?" The man sneered, "But to make it interesting, I was sent by the opposite of a good dream."

"What?!" He snarled.

"You heard me, Meta Knight! I was sent by none other than Lord Nightmare!"

*1: Everyone has their secrets~

*2: Because Gekigam's cooking is eatable. Meta Knight's... not so much. Just ask Sword or Blade.

*3: What is Fumu and her family's race anyways?

*4: Kazegami and her nicknames

*5: Brush technique bloom. bloom= Flowers

*6: Brush technique Cherry bomb. because explosions are fun

*7: Fumu is like 12 or something, Kazegami is like over 50. Kazegami cusses. Fumu does not.

*8: Hoorah for nicknames!

*9: Nicknames.

*10: An uchiwa is like a battle fan of sorts.

*11: Because there are no deserts in Nippon... but Kazegami travels cause she can.

*12: Like *11 but jungles.

*13: Payback for Blueberry Knight. also Nicknames.

*14: Because flying is fun. Also I think of Moegami, Nuregami, and Kazegami as 'benders' (Avatar) and thus, Kazegami can fly.


	9. Chapter 9

_We might be scared, but that's what makes us stronger!"_

_~Maka Albarn (Soul eater)_

_'Thoughts' _

_" 'book text' "_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN bEaSt/OnI sPeEcH"**

-MK-

"What?!" He snarled.

"You heard me! I was sent by none other than Lord Nightmare!" The man in front of him said, grinning and throwing his arms out to the side as if he were giving a hug.

Tightening his grip on Galaxia, he glared.

"You're here to kill us." He said, glancing at Kirby.

"How observant! And it appears I've nearly won! The rat was an easy task to take care of, the archer was a sly bastard but he was easily taken care of. And get this! The third up and ran away and This here goddess was wide open! All it took was some force and she's down. Now all I have to do is kill You and you." He told them, pointing at Meta Knight and Kirby.

_'He hasn't realized that Hotaru's still alive! But he said she ran... dammit! And he keeps calling Kazegami 'Goddess'...'_ He thought.

"Just try it." He said.

"Sadly, that won't happen." A voice said from behind him. The man's happy attitude vanished. Standing against the wall was a young lady dressed in a black kimono with a red obi. Her long black hair was tied in two twin tails and had tinges of red. she had bare feet and a fox mask was over her face*.

"I'll give you a warning, boy. Run while you can. You should've killed her when you could've." She said, her voice sounded like many around the same pitch- some higher some lower- speaking together, giving her voice an eerie vibe.

"What?!" The man snarled. The girl sighed.

"You truly think that she ran away?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Man, you really are slow to catch on..." She pushed the mask up, revealing a smirk.

"I don't like it when you try and kill my family." She said, sounding very familiar now that the mask wasn't covering her mouth. She raised her left hand and a sword appeared.

"Kirby, inhale it." she said, tossing the sword at Kirby, behind him. Jumping forward, Kirby used inhale and swallowed the blade, Transforming into Sword Kirby. The man growled and lunged at the young lady, whose smirk grew. Swinging his fist he knocked off the mask.

A green eye shone from under the mask, her other eye not visible due to the bangs that hid half her face.

"Thought I ran away? Too bad!" Hotaru said, slamming her knee into the man's stomach, sending him flying.

"She's still here." Meta Knight breathed before looking at Fumu, Bun, Lololo, and Lalala.

"Get back." he told them as he and Kirby raised their swords and ran towards this mysterious being.

Letting out an outraged cry the smoke around his feet collected into a scythe-like shape in his hands. It was a simple silver-bladed scythe with a white pole, nothing fancy but still deadly. Landing, his eyes flashed.

"It appears we meet again, Hotarugami!" The man snarled.

"It appears so and it's just Hotaru, mind you." She said. Meta Knight blinked. Hotarugami?

"And your sense of style hasn't changed a bit!" He added only to be met with a kick in the face. Jumping away from him, Hotaru frowned.

"I thought you might think that I'd change my clothing choice so I went back to my old style. Yami, I even used the mask. But if you prefer," She started, her eye flashing purple before her body started glowing an indigo color, "I can change it!" She finished. Her kimono was replaced by her usual garb and her hair went back to being a single ponytail. The fox mask changed to the same mask as before.

"Now, lets end this." She said, looking at Him and Kirby. The man yelled and jumped into the sky, bringing his scythe down on Kirby, who jumped out of the way.

Charging up a sword beam, Meta Knight dashed forward and fired it as Hotaru fired her own beam of indigo-colored energy. The two beams hit their mark, but only made the man angrier. Swinging his scythe over and over made the three of them go on the defense.

The man laughed insanely slashing at Kirby and Hotaru. Hotaru slid under the pole, but the blade grazed Kirby. The man 'tch'd' and brought it down on Meta Knight, He raised his sword blocking it. Hotaru was able to deliver a knee to the face before the man brought his scythe back up and swung it.

_'How long can we keep this up?'_ Meta Knight asked himself, dodging the blade as it was swung at him again. Hotaru ducked and jumped onto the scythe's pole and using it to jump over the man, forcing the blade to be brought down into the stone floor of the balcony. Kazegami's hand twitched.

Kirby swung his sword at the man who ducked and wrenched his scythe out from the ground, only to be cornered by Meta Knight on his right, Hotaru on his left, and Kirby in front of him.

He looked over at Kirby and Hotaru who had their swords raised. Kirby looked battered but determined. Hotaru was bleeding from a cut on her face and she looked like she was favoring her right leg over her left but her Katana was ready.

"Now, now. Three versus One is hardly fair." The man said, as the smoke curled around his whole body, changing it to a young boy with purple hair and a long purple cloak covering his body. And he was floating.

"So, I'm leaving!" He declared, flying away faster then they could react.

"Emmit failed, Father." A voice said to Nightmare. The figure in front of the King of demons was from the time before. He was shadowed and the only thing that stood out in the dark was his long, white hair, that covered one of his eyes, and his other, blue eye.

"Fear not, Dream Eater, he will finished what he was sent to do unless he dies." The king of demons said to the figure now known as 'Dream Eater'.

"I understand but-"

"We did not know that Severa would interfere. Perhaps we've underestimated her 'affection' towards her 'family'." Nightmare cut Dream Eater off, who nodded.

"Good, now send for Wolfwrath*. I have a job for him." He told the figure.

"Yes, father." He said, bowing and walking off.

-MK-

Hotaru led them down to one of the storage callers.

"First we should get the others then have Kazegami checked on." She said moving aside some crates that created a barrier.

An arrow flew in between her and Meta Knight. Taking a look inside the opening in the barrier, Meta Knight saw not only his Knaves but Tachigami and Gekigami too. Gekigami had his bow raised.

"Way to try and kill us." Hotaru said, setting Kazegami down. "How are they?" She asked, shoving aside more crates.

Gekigami looked back at the other three.

"Tachigami's wounds will heal eventually, his are mate scratches. Sword and Blade are fine as of now." He said, nodding at Meta Knight.

"And yourself?" he asked the white-and-red clad archer, staring at him. Gakigami shifted under His gaze.

"I could be better." He muttered.

"Can you stand?" Hotaru asked.

"More like can you?" Gekigami stood, "Your left leg is bleeding heavily again." He said. Meta Knight glanced at Hotaru.

_'She seems more battered then the rest of us.' _He noted. Unlike Gekigami who had a few scrapes hear and there and a swollen arm- probably broken- and Tachigami who was covered in many bandages, Hotaru's left leg was bleeding heavily like Gekigami mentioned but not only that but one of her wrists was swollen and she had blood stains on her sleeves and her collar, most likely from the cut on her face.

Hotaru rolled her eye, "I'll be fine, I'm more worried about Kazegami though." She said, picking up Kazegami again.

"Fumu, was it?" She then turned to the Embrum family's daughter. Fumu nodded.

"You, Bun, and Kirby should probably head home. I bet your parents are worried. Also be on high alert for the man you saw earlier, the boy he turned into and a spiky blonde, they all have the same green eyes." She told her.

"How do we know that you aren't him?" Fumu asked. Hotaru blinked before looking at him. Her eyes _WERE_ green but they weren't as... bright.

"It's a simple rule to a difficult game; Copying the looks of a person can never be exact. There's always something different." She said.

"This is true." Meta Knight nodded. Hotaru looked grateful for a moment before she turned back to where Blade and Tachigami were unconscious, helping Gekigami out. Sort-of. Sword stood.

"Sire, if ya 're goin' down into the village may I request to say here*?" He asked. Meta Knight nodded.

"Lets go." He said, turning towards the stairway and walking up it with the Embrum children, Kirby, Lololo, Lalala, and the two natives of Nippon right behind him (with an unconscious Kazegami).

-skip-

Both Hotaru and Himself sat in the waiting room of Dr. Yabui's office. Gekigami offered to go along with Kazegami for her examination of her head.

"I don't think that he's gone." She said, crossing her arms.

"What so you mean?" he asked.

"He left for the mountains." She told him, closing her eye.

He opened his mouth to speak when the door opened and Gekigami walked out, carrying Kazegami on his back.

"Nothing serious she'll most likely be back to normal in a few days." Gekigami told them.

"And you?" He asked him. Gekigami glanced away.

"Well, to be honest, the only thing that he could find we're old battle scars that had reopened, he just told me not to be too active... or something. I also can't use my right arm too much, it's not broken but fairly close." He said, before looking at him and Hotaru.

"Aside from a few scratches, I'm perfectly fine." They both said.

"Lair." Meta Knight muttered to Hotaru, who shrugged and stood, then stretched and yawned.

"Can we leave now?" She asked, walking towards the door.

"Not until we get you two looked at. The both of you get into the examination room!" Dr. Yabui told them, pointing to Hotaru and himself.

"I must decline, after all, Ones like myself heal rather quickly." Meta Knight quickly told the doctor*.

"Don't even think about making an excuse, Hotaru." Gekigami said, pulling her away from the door. She didn't even try to get away.

-H-

Sighing, she admitted defeat and allowed Gekigami to push her towards Yabu...i? Was that his name? Yabui. Mentally shrugging she followed the doctor into the room.

As he closed the door, Hotaru turned around and started to remove her swords so she could take her coat off. Pausing, she turned her head and glared at him, eyes flashing red.

"Anything that happens or you see in here, stays in here." She snarled, removing her coat.

Wincing, she felt the gaze of the doctor on her back. Her shirt mostly covered the scars on her back but the one that went diagonally from her left shoulder bade on down to her waist had been reopened by a slash In the same spot. Though the injury had stopped bleeding it hadn't healed and looked as if it could start bleeding any moment.

Yabui put a hand on his chin as she sat on the table*.

"Hmm, to bandage that wound you're going to need to take your shirt off..." he sighed.

"As long as you dont try anything of freak out." she said.

"But before that let's look at your leg and wrist." He told her, walking over and placing a hand on her swollen wrist.

"Just as I thought. Your wrist is broken. I'm going to have to do an x-ray to see how bad it is. you'll need to take your gloves off though." He told her. Hotaru stiffened.

_'Take off my gloves? Ah shit.' _she thought slipping off her gloves, left before right. Once she slipped the right one off she grew sick to her stomach. On the back of her hand was a tattoo that resembled a sort of warped, backwards question mark, just without the dot at the bottom, instead the dot was to the left of the curved, hook-like part. The tattoo had many jagged points, making it look cruel and inhumane.

"What's-"

"Slave tattoo." She muttered.

"I see."

-G-

They waited patiently did Hotaru to come back out. 'They' being Meta Knight and Himself, plus Sword and Blade (with an unwilling to be here and sulking Tachigami).

The door to the examining room slammed open and a very annoyed Hotaru walked out.

"Broken wrist, everything else just need to heal." She said, "Can we go now?" She asked, fixing him with a glare.

"H-hai*." Gekigami said, sweat dropping.

"Good. Lets go." She said, walking out, slamming the door closed.

He looked at Meta Knight and Tachigami.

"Well, she's pissed." Tachigami said, jumping up from his chair, "Lets Go!" He declared, following his fellow Swordmaster.

"You heard the boy." Gekigami said as they walked out. Outside both Tachigami and Hotaru were waiting for them with Kirby and two others*.

Once seeing them, Hotaru turned and started walking.

He looked at Tachigami who made a motion for them to follow.

"Hotaru appears to know something we don't about this _Maju*_, whatever that is. Apparently the guardian of the woods might know a thing or two as well." He told him. He nodded and then glanced at Meta Knight.

"If she knows something, lets go." The blue knight said, nodding to his two Apprentices.

-MK-

"So his name is 'Emmit'?" Fumu asked. Hotaru nodded and pulled out a book from her coat.

"How do you two know this?" Bun asked.

"Word travels fast when you're a tree." Whispy pointed out.

The group was sitting ( Though Tachigami was standing and Kazegami was laying down, still unconscious) in the clearing of Whispy Woods. Hotaru had her back against Whispy woods with Kirby sitting next to her, Next to Kirby was Fumu then Bun. Across from himself was Tachigami who was next to Sword Knight snd Blade Knight. Next to him was Gekigami who was on the other side of Bun, with Kazegami laying behind him.

"I stole this from the black market in Magiia* while on my travels. Its a book of all the top-class Demon Beasts and Oni, as well as their descriptions with pictures. I'll read from Page 30, Emmit's Page, if you want." She opened the book.

"Please do." Tachigami said.

-H-

She nodded before opening her mouth to read.

" '_Emmit, one of the top ten demon beasts known as the _Maju _and is the third strongest_._ He is also one of Nightmare's five children and considered to be a Perfect demon beast and shifter. Out of all of his siblings he is the only one to have the same DNA as one of the Star Warriors and have three forms, Defensive, Battle, and War. He's almost always in battle when ever seen by non-_Maju._'_ " she read word-for-word.

"Nightmare's top ten... They must be powerful!" Bun exclaimed.

"I'll say." Tachigami agreed, "Though what's a Shifter?"

"A demon beast that can shift forms, few actually succeed in doing a full transformation and are often stuck in between forms. There's a sufferance between the Shifter Demon Beasts and the Shifter Race. While the demon beasts are just mutant experiments created by Nightmare, the official race is sprinkled thought the galaxy. They are beings that can change from one form to that of an animal and are more often than not found living in tribes." Meta Knight explained.

Whispy 'nodded'*, "The two tribes that are the most known, most being the few tribes left, are the Onia tribe- found in northern Nippon- and the Ryū-Kingyo*, a tribe found in the depths of Onion Ocean." He told them.

"True, but many of the other shifters joined the Galaxy Soldier Army. The only shifters whose names I remember we're Severa and Spirit. Who both claimed to hail from the clan on the dark planet." Gekigami recalled.

He nodded, "Though weather or not Spirit was telling the truth or lying is unclear. We did see Severa turn into a cat once, though."

Hotaru's fist clenched, _'She can also take a wolf's form, thanks to Yami.' _She thought bitterly. Kirby poyo'd from next to her.

"I have a feeling they were both lying. The dark planet can't support any life demon beast or not." She told them, half lying. They gave her a look. "The dark planet is called the dark planet because all there is there is a huge ocean of Oils and toxins." She said, _'This is true..'_ she thought.

"The real question is when did Nightmare have kids?" Blade asked.

"Ya mean when did 'e get a freakin' WIFE." Sword corrected.

Meta Knight mentally facepalmed, "Who says their his children by blood?" He said.

"He's got a point." Tachigami nodded.

"What else does the book say?" Fumu asked.

"Nothing, that's all that has been recorded for Emmit." Hotaru yawned, leaning back, "There is other stuff on the other four children."

"I actually want to know where Dedede was during this." Bun said.

"Oh crap! I forgot that he's still in the pit-trap*!" Tachigami exclaimed.

Everyone stared at him.

"What. The Hell?" Gekigami asked.

"Never mind that, do you want to know the other children or not?" Hotaru asked, turning the page. The group nodded.

"Page 31;

_'Emersan, One of the most powerful demon beasts ever created. She's the fifth most powerful _Maju_ and Perfect. She's one of the only two Demon Beasts ever to be categorized as a Night Warrior, the other being her twin brother, Rowen (Turn to page 32). Her abilities vary depending on the sources but one thing is for certain, her physical strength is more powerful than any other demon beast and her speed rivals that of even the fastest ninjas.'_

And On page 32;

_'Rowen, is regarded as one of the most powerful demon beasts, thus classed as a _Maju_ and the fourth most powerful and Nightmare's only other Night Warrior aside from Emersen (page 31). He's very good at toying with the mind and has earned the nickname 'Nightmare Wolf' by many of his living victims. His weapons remain unknown, not even the living victims can recall what he uses.'" _Hotaru read.

"So, basically we have a shifter, a Night warrior, and the Nightmare Wolf, perfect." Gekigami said.

"You referring to Emmit, Emersan, and Rowen?" Kazegami asked, sitting up.

"You're alive! Joy." Tachigami exclaimed, somewhat sarcastically.

"I've been so feeling the love these past days." She said. Fumu giggled a bit.

"Seriously guys, if Emmit is going after us then we're screweddd." Kazegami groaned.

"How do you know about Emmit?" Bun asked.

"We crossed paths once in Magiia." Kazegami said simply.

"That's right, you did go to Magiia a few years back." Tachigami recalled, nodding.

"That's correct though there are two others siblings, the two eldest and equally matched with Nightmare's power, or so Emmit believed." Kazegami said.

"Yes, Seevera* and Dream Eater. Both on page 33 and have close to nothing written about them." Hotaru confirmed.

"So, those are the five most powerful, what are the other five?" Blade asked. Hotaru glanced at Meta Knight before looking at the two other knights as well as the children.

"You've crossed paths with at least one of them, the seventh. Also known as Costumer Service-" "Who Sakigami calls Tim*." Gekigami interrupted, Hotaru threw a shoe at him.

"Where did you get that?!" He said, rubbing his face and tossing it back.

"My coat." She said, catching it.

"Poyo!" Kirby smiled.

"Aside from that, all of you must promise to be carful, I refuse to let any one of you die before I do." Whispy said.

"It doesn't work that way but we'll try." Fumu sweatdropped.

"What he said is fairly true though. if Nightmare is sending Emmit already then I fear he's trying to wipe not only Kirby out but all of Popstar off the map. Dream Eater and Seevera... I shudder at the thought of them coming here." Gekigami murmured.

_'This is true though I find it funny how no one has asked why Customer Service is number seven.' _she thought, chuckling inwardly.

"Popstar to Hotaru, come in little sister Hotaru." Tachigami said, waving his hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"We're not even related and I'm taller then you by like a foot." Hotaru stated, smirking. Tachigami turned a paper white and sat down in a somewhat depressed state.

Gekigami, Kazegami, and Bun laughed while Kirby squealed with laughter and Fumu giggled. Whispy chuckled with Sword and Blade. Meta Knight's eyes glowed pink.

"Why are you so mean to me?" Tachigami asked her.

"Because you're easy to tease. You're shorter than Kabegami and you carry around a huge sword." she smiled.

"THAT'S IT?!" He said, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her.

"Pretty much. Im sure they agree with me." Hotaru jerked her thumb towards Gekigami and Kazegami.

"True, true." Gekigami said, rubbing the tears from his eyes before laughing once he saw Tachigami's shocked face. Kazegami was gasping for breath, laughing and holding her sides. The clearing then exploded into laughter and chuckles.

"I HATE ALL OF YOU!"

"You failed, Emmit." Nightmare snarled at his white haired son who flinched.

"... Yeah I did."

"That's it? Ha! Wolfwrath is going to finish what you started." A girl's voice sneered from beside Nightmare.

"Like that'll do anything, Emmersan. If anything he's going to get killed." Emmit snapped. A boot collided with his face as a White and black haired girl with amber eyes kicked him. Picking up her spear she growled.

"You wanna go?!" She snarled.

A young man with a wolfish smirk and amber eyes clapped his hands and brushed his black hair out of the way of his face before picking up his fork and eating the rest if his meal. Customer Service sweatdropped at the two siblings' fight while Yamikage cleaned his sword. Dream Eater ate his food silently, stealing some from Emmit and Emmersan's plates.

A half human, half snake-looking beast smiled and watched from were she was "sitting" next to a Noddy with a blue hat instead of a red. Wolfwrath was curled up at Dream Eater's feet under the table.

"Can we not have a semi-normal dinner*?" Dream Eater asked Yamikage who shook his... head*. Shrugging, Dream Eater leaned back in his chair and nibbled on a roll as Emmit and Emmersan brawled.

-G-

Gekigami leaned against the castle wall. Next to him was Hotaru, her face was shadowed. It was nearly midnight.

"When do you plan on telling Meta?" He asked her, breaking the silence. "Wouldn't it be better if he knew now rather than later?"

"True, but he should be smart enough to put two and two together. I hinted it many times today, Our division traveled to Magiia and "Severa" stole a book. I also talked about Customer Service and I technically shouldn't know about him as Hotaru. Plus the mask should've also given it away, it is "hers" after all. Though if I must I can switch coats, to the more open one that is or I could attempt to use Eclipse." She said, raising her head, eye shining red.

"I see. Just remember not to waste too much time thinking of ways to give Meta hints. There are few of us left and not much time." He told her, pushing off the wall and walking towards the direction of the room Dedede had given the two of them (after he and Tachigami rescued the King and Escargon from the pit trap) to share.

"Oh and take care of yourself, you're not the Severa*, or however you said her name, who fell into darkness." He said, leaving.

Walking away with his hands in his pockets, he stopped at the fountain in one of the castle's courtyards. Making sure no one was near, Gekigami pulled out a mermaid coin but unlike the other coins that were a jade green, this one was a sapphire blue*.

"Good thing I remembered to bring this."He said, tossing it into the fountain. A screen of water appeared.

"Sakigami and Itegami." He said, as the water shimmered. Soon enough two faces appeared, groggily looking at him. Well, one of them at least, Sakigami's eyes were covered* (seriously, see no evil?).

"What do you need now?" Itegami growled.

"Before you bite my head off, hear me out. Nightmare wiped nearly all of us out." He told them, snapping the two out of their half awake selves.

"WHAT?! EVEN METY?!" Sakigami asked.

"Quiet down, dammit." Itegami smacked Sakigami on the back of the head.

Gekigami shook his head, "No, he's still alive. He's actually been on Popstar the whole time as well. He's on an island north of Nippon, which is weird because north of Nippon is thought to be mainly ice and snow but its mostly always warm here in dreamland." He explained. Sakigami's face exploded into a wide grin and Itegami gave a sigh of relief.

"And how's Severa?" Itegami asked.

"She could be better, I know being thrown back into the war has been hard on her." He sighed.

Sakigami's face fell, "Then it's up to you to be there for her. Help Severa."

Gekigami nodded. "Tell Lady Amaterasu that Yami might be back, eventually if Nightnare helps him." He added.

"Will do, but seriously, Man. Please be carful. Thinking that we lost Severa and Meta was hard enough." Sakigami assured him. Itegami nodded. Gekigami smiled, but then froze. plunging his hand into the water, cutting off the message and retrieving his coin.

Footsteps were running away from the hall with the doorway to the courtyard he was in. Turning around he caught a glimpse of blonde hair disappearing around the corner. The person was short and he already knew who it was by her sent*.

Fumu Embrum.

*1: Rakasha and Carcasses

*2: Sword should have his Australian accent XD

*3: Because the examination would most likely be like this:

Yabui: You need to remove your mask.

MK: No.

Y: Yes.

MK: No

Y: Yes.

MK: Fine.

Y: Ohmynova! You're adorab- *Beat with a stick*

Or something.

*4: Isn't it a table? or is it a bed?

*5: Hai= Yes in Japanese. '_Y-yes.'_

*6: cause its Slightly Gekigami's Pov. He doesn't truly remember the kid's names. And we wasn't listening to Hotaru.

*7: Maju roughly translates into Demon beast in Japanese. *google translate*

*8: Made up planet, perhaps it will make an appearance later.

*9: Trees don't nod. I think.

*10: Ryū is dragon (or at least part of dragon) and Kingyo is goldfish I believe... So basically dragon goldfish.

*11: I couldn't really find a place to put Dedede in...

*12: Pronounced as C-Vera. Hotaru said it weirdly on purpose.

*13: Because Sakigami can.

*14: Because even demons should have a semi normal dinner.

*15: *cough* body *cough*

*16: Or as Hotaru said Seevera.

*17: Mermaid Coins in okami allow you to teleport from a certain point to another though this one is for communication, a little something I thought up myself.

*18: Gijinka Sakigami has a mask covering his eyes

*19: Gekigami is basically a tiger, he can recognize things like this


	10. Chapter 10

_"When people realize how lonely it is being on their own they will become kind." _

_~Mirajane Strauss (Fairytail)_

_'Thoughts'_

"Regular Speech"

_**"Godly Speech"**_

**"DeMoN bEaSt/OnI sPeEcH"**

-F-

It was pretty late out when Fumu rolled over. She couldn't sleep, not after what happened that day. So many questions were left unanswered and suspicions were growing. Who exactly were these new comers? Why was Hotaru dressed differently then the others? Why did Emmit called Kazegami a goddess? Why was Nightmare acting more aggressive than usual? Questions ran though her mind as she got out of bed. Carful not to disturb anyone in her family or Kazegami- Who was sleeping on their couch after Lololo and Lalala asked if she needed a better place to sleep other than a tree and then She and Bun offered for Kazegami to stay with them for a while.

Slipping out if her "home", in truth it was more of an apartment-like room* in Castle Dedede, she sighed and began to walk, where she wasn't sure exactly. She was just enjoying the night air.

"What are you doing out here?" A voice asked her. Spinning around, she saw Hotaru's green eye right in front of her face. Yelping, she jumped back.

"Y-you scared me!" She exclaimed as Hotaru stood strait up. The foreigner was about the same hight as Kawasaki but much more... Limb. Unlike the other residents of dreamland, her and the rest of her group all had bodies similar to those that some Fairy Tale characters had*, she almost seemed to move with cat-like movements, Her black hair reminded Fumu of a raven's feathers, and her eye was a grass green color.

"I couldn't sleep. What about you? It's a bit odd for someone who was fighting Emmit earlier to be up and about. Especially with your wounds." Fumu pointed out. Hotaru shrugged.

"Making night rounds, both Gekigami and I were asked to by Meta Knight." She said.

_'Is she lying*?_' Fumu thought, "So you're taking orders from _Sir_ Meta Knight, as well?" She asked, narrowing her eyes.

Hotaru blinked, "I don't take **orders** from anyone unless I have to. I'm simply following Gekigami's request. Gekigami offered to do night rounds in Meta Knight's place. Dedede doesn't know anything about the _Maju_ yet so we're trying to keep it like that by making night rounds so one doesn't take us by surprise again." She said, turning around and walking away.

"Oh, and by the way, Fumu Embrum, Some people have their reasons for not being ever so truthful and pure. Everyone has their secrets." She said, pausing for a moment and then leaving.

Fumu blinked. What did Hotaru mean? was she giving a warning of some sort? Fumu shook her head and continued on her way.

Walking past one of the many courtyards she sighed quietly.

"And how's Severa?" A voice, almost icy sounding, asked. Fumu froze and cocked her head, was she hearing things?

"She could be better, I know being thrown back into the war has been hard on her." Gekigami sighed from in the courtyard. Getting close to the wall she peered out the doorway into the courtyard. Gekigami stood facing the fountain, his back was to her, and his arms appeared to be crossed.

"Then it's up to you to be there for her." Another voice said, Sounding a bit more cheerful then the other. She frowned. Where were the voices coming from?

Gekigami nodded. "Tell Lady Amaterasu that Yami might be back, eventually if Nightnare helps him." He said. Then it hit her. He was talking to someone, by Phone maybe?

"Will do, but seriously, Man. Please be carful. Thinking that we lost Severa and Meta was hard enough." The cheerful voice assured him. That last line was enough for Fumu to think that there was something wrong. Spinning around, she ran. She ran as if her life depended on it. She wanted answers.

_"...Thinking that we lost Severa and Meta was hard enough." _The voice had said.

Reaching her "home", she opened the door and slipped inside. Tomorrow she'll try and ask Kazegami or maybe even Meta Knight.

-MK-

"Again!" Tachigami barked, raising his practice, wooden sword. Both Sword and Blade Knight looked over at him.

"You heard him." Meta Knight nodded from the statue he was standing on and wrapping his cape around himself.

"Yes sir!" The two said, raising their wooden swords and circling the young Swordmaster. He had to admit that he was indeed surprised when he found out that Tachigami and himself were evenly matched in power. Turning around, Meta Knight saw Kazegami and Fumu walking over. Kazegami was about the same hight as the king with hair probably the same length as Gekigami's with the same inky black tips that he had. Her eyes were a dark, dark tealish color, so dark they could be mistaken for black. Her hair was kept in place by a jade-green battle fan- an Uchiwa he believed was what it was called- and always seemed to have it with her, sleeping or awake. He had even seen her use it as a spear, making it grow longer, so he assumed it had some sort of magic infused within it or a sort of enchantment. She appeared to be dressed in a short kimono that was- like the others- a white and red color scheme.

"Good morning." He greeted them.

"Hello." Fumu replied, Kazegami raised her hand in greeting.

The trio stood there in silence for a while, watching Tachigami beat his two Knaves in practice.

"Um... Sir meta Knight?" Funu asked him.

He turned her her, "Hm?"

"Well... I, um... I kinda wanted to ask you something." She mumbled.

"Alright." He said slowly.

"Uh, well... how should I put this..." She murmured.

"You two rely on Tag-teaming too much. Blade, attack me without Sword backing you up." Tachigami instructed while she thought.

"I want to know something about your time in the war!" She blurted finally. Blade and Tachigami stopped in mid swing and stared at her with Sword Knight and Kazegami.

Meta Knight nearly fell off the statue he was on. "Why would you want to know something as horrid as that?" He asked, steadying himself.

"Because of something that happened last night. See, I saw Gekigami talking to someone out in the courtyard." She started.

"Could've been Hotaru, I mean the two were the most serious about coming here." Tachigami pointed out, walking over with the two knights.

Fumu shook her head, "No, before that I ran into Hotaru in the hallway and that's not the only reason it can't be her."

"What do you mean?" Meta Knight asked.

"The two people who Gekigami was talking to weren't physically there. I could hear them but I couldn't see them." She sighed and then looked angry, "They knew Meta Knight and someone named 'Severa'."

This time Meta Knight did fall off.

Landing on his feet, instead of his face, he looked at Fumu.

"How do you know of Severa?" He murmured.

"You know him?" Fumu asked.

"'Her' actually. In fact, Severa Page Prince is one of the strongest _Hōshi*_ ever to fight along side of Gekigami." Tachigami corrected, replacing his practice sword with his actual one.

"She's also considered to be a sort of Legend in Magiia." Kazegami added.

"You know Severa?" Meta Knight asked. Tachigami and Kazegami shook their heads.

"Legends and Gekigami's stories." Tachigami said.

"Yeah and other things too. Like from other places. Wow that sounded shady..." Kazegami said.

"Anyways, Who exactly is she?" Fumu cut in.

Tachigami shrugged, "Meta Knight?" He glanced at Tachigami when he heard his name.

"If you don't mind; Please elaborate on the subject of 'Severa'." He said, leaning against the wall.

"... It's a sore subject but I can... try." He mumbled, eyes flashing grey as the sorrowful memories washed over him.

"For the longest time it was just myself and the other high-Ranking GSA members known as the Star warriors. The Star Warriors as you know we're the final stronghold against Nightmare if the army was wiped out. The Galaxy Solider Army and Star Warriors are two different things*- A Star Warrior is a usually High Ranked soldier in the army or occasionally a trustworthy Rouge or someone who isn't part of the army but fights for good, The Galaxy Soldier Army- GSA for short- is the whole military rebellion against Nightmare.

"As I said, there was just us. After I had rose though the ranks and the head of the GSA- at the time it was Galactic Knight*- had made myself and the four others of my own kind as well as some others Star Warriors. The head group that dished out the orders were all Batamons- Galactic Knight, Sir Arthur- Who had risen just as fast as I did and was indeed a great rival-, Eve*, and Yume* were the top four. It was Yume who had ordered myself and the ninja leader of the squadron to take two to three other Star Warriors to a planet called Magiia." He started.

Kazegami sat down, preparing for a long story, as did Fumu. His Knaves stood attentive, he believed this was their first actual 'glimpse' at his past they've heard. Tachigami seemed really focused on every detail.

"We were told to hurry and left quickly, it was Myself, Sojurn*, Dragato, Falspar, and Norstrought. Our First night on Magiia was far from welcoming. At the time, the planet wasn't very hostile as a whole but many lands raged war amongst each other. Kings fought over land and riches, Villages were left to starve and be completely destroyed. I don't remember which village it was but the villagers, once seeing us, reacted badly. Throwing things, attacking in the night, we hardly got any sleep. Sojurn was quick and scouted out the land beforehand and we left the village by dawn.

"The next place we stopped, or should I say were stopped at, was a merchants' and Mercenaries' traveling cavern. We were stopped by a Merchant who was tending to his Horse when he saw how scratched up our amour was. He asked us if we had run into trouble with bandits and when Dragato corrected him with angered villagers he chuckled a bit. The man Introduced himself as Elswood, A traveling Merchant from a race of wild Sasukes*. We were hesitant, few wild or free Sasukes were friendly and most were territorial but he wasn't like them and brought us into the cavern until we could fix ourselves up. there we met most of the Merchants, though Falspar was especially upset about not meeting anyone worth fighting yet. That was until we met the head of the mercenaries.

"He introduced himself simply as Seitaichou, which I believe was Nipponese* for Head Captain. His appearance made him seem slightly harmless, Black robes, Red hair, features almost rabbit-like, one of the woodland elves, but we soon found out that he was a Fox in a Rabbit's skin. He was brutal but he was smart, cunning, and fair, he was an ex-member of the GSA but had been unable to get back to the GSA after he had crashed on Magiia.

"Now, one would think that Mercenaries were disorganized loners who loved to kill but for Seitachou's group that wasn't the case. There were a total of twenty-two in his group-excluding himself- though only eighteen were actually mercenaries, two were magicians, and two were doctors. Of the eighteen mercenaries only four were close to him, His sister- Joman-, A young Elven from the mountains with red hair and a serious face- Fanalis-, A bipedal Tiger- Solar- and, of course, Severa." He was interrupted by Blade Knight shifting and clearing her* throat.

"So, this Severa character was a Mercenary?" He asked.

"Indeed she was." Gekigami said, swinging down from a ledge above them.

"I'm surprised, Meta Knight. This story still pains me to hear it." The archer remarked, sitting next to Kazegami, "Well, go on." Fumu looked at Gekigami suspiciously.

Meta Knight gave him _that*_ look before continuing.

"The other fourteen under them were just ones who had joined them along the way but were many different races as well, I saw one or two Batamons and Dragato swore he saw a second Sasuke with Elswood. For a long time we staid with the cavern, traveling around the planet That was until Sojurn reminded us that our mission was still in progress, to find suitable recruits for the military.

"Norstrought suggested asking Seitaichou and When we did he immediately rallied the mercenaries and chose five others to accompany himself and us back to the war, leaving Joman in charge with her own head group. The five that had been chosen were Solar, Fanalis, Severa, A being from a Centaur race named Magnar, and a survivalist* by the name of Sullivan." He paused as the castle shook.

"Uh-oh, I knew I should've kept tabs on the King." Gekigami grumbled, standing up as The door flew open.

"You've _got_ to see this, Sis." Bun panted pointing outside.

-T-

As soon as they got down to the village Tachigami noticed a change in the atmosphere. The air was a dry and rapidly decreasing in temperature but as the temperature lowered the air became heavy, as if it was going to start snowing.

Gekigami's bow materialized in his hand with an arrow already nocked and ready to fire, lightning crackling on the lightning-bolt shaped point. Kazegami had her hands ready, the wind around them increased as she focused her power and Tachigami raised his sword. The three knights drew their weapons as a roar sounded from the edge of the village.

"INCOMING!" Gekigami yelled, grabbing Bun and leaping out of the way. Kazegami followed suit with Sword and Blade Knight along side of her. Tachigami grabbed Fumu and pulled her out of the way before both he and Meta Knight jumped out of the way of a watery blast. A large water dragon rose out of the ocean, giving chase* to two smaller figures in the sky and trying to blast them out of the sky.

"W-what is that?!" Fumu gasped as the dragon roared when an indigo wave of wonderful collided with it's right wing.

"Serpentus, a deadly dragon-type demon beast. Its attacks are water based and also acidic depending on the type. Some are both." Meta Knight said, landing next to Tachigami.

"Hotaru and Kirby have been fighting that dragon I bet." Kazegami said looking at Bun for confirmation. The boy nodded before pointing at Kawasaki's restaurant.

"Actually it's been Hotaru and someone else, we had to have Kirby hide in there because he couldn't summon the Warp Star and-" Bun was cut off by the dragon's triumphant roar as one of the dark figures plummeted down to earth. The second figure dove after its ally, Tachigami prayed that the injured one wasn't Hotaru. Especially after what had happened with _Emmit_. He remembered her yelling for them to go find Kirby as the shifter attacked, efficiently wounding Himself and Meta Knight's Knaves along with Gekigami. For a day he and the other three hid in the strange cellar as Hotaru nursed her and their wounds. He wrist that had started to heal had been broken by him and he had dealt some blows to her leg as she was fleeing from the recent fight.

"...Warp Star!" Fumu yelled from the ground, snapping him out of his thoughts as Kirby ran out of the restaurant. The figure had caught the other and was heading* their way, making Tachigami grip his sword tighter as the dragon gave chase once more. A golden star flew towards Kirby and the puffball jumped onto it.

The two figures grew near as Kirby flew past. "KIRBY!" Gekigami shot his arrow at the puffball, "Use the lightning!" He told the young Warrior. The pink puff complied by inhaling the lightning infused with the arrow, transforming into a green, spiked puffball that had sparks coming out of the spikes.

"W-what?" Tachigami stammered.

"Its Spark Kirby." Meta Knight said as the two figures landed in the village. Hotaru was carrying a familiar looking woman with long, white hair that was stained with her blood. Her facial features were beautiful, yet snakelike in a way, and she was clothed in a red and white kimono-like dress with a green sash. Her eyes were closed.

"I-is th-that...?" Kazegami stammered taking shaky steps towards Hotaru and the other figure. Hotaru nodded before falling to one knee, blood dripping from her cheek.

"Gekigami... Tachigami, you must help Kirby. He is a Star Warrior but, this demon beast... it's strong, it could be... as strong as Blight." She said setting down the figure. He and Gekigami nodded before following the direction Kirby and the Dragon had gone.

-G-

Jumping into the air, Gekigami controlled the spiritual energy around him, keeping the flow of gravity at bay and letting him fly. He felt power surge though him, like thousands of volts of electricity, as he loaded another arrow. Tachigami raced along side of him on the roof tops before following his suit.

"You seemed excited, Gekigami." Tachigami said from next to him. Gekigami chuckled and grabbed Tachigami's wrist and pulled him out of the way of a watery blast.

"Not really, I'm just letting loose." He called back, loading an arrow and shooting it though the blast and into the dragon's tail. This dragon was a variety of blues and purples and looked about the same as Yomigami's Zodiac form- just without the scroll as part of its body- with razor sharp teeth and red eyes. The beast roared in pain and rage as the arrow made contact with its tail and exploded with thousands of volts arcing though the beast's body. Tachigami jumped onto his head before the sword god leaped onto Kirby's Warp Star, somehow not jostling the star.

Regaining his 'balance' Gekigami 'flew' up to where Tachigami and Kirby where. Tachigami's eyes were glittering with exited malice.

"Kirby, Gekigami. Combine attacks and fire on my mark, alright?" Tachigami instructed raising his sword over his head.

"Right." he said as Kirby 'poyo'd' in agreement before charging up static. Gekigami closed his eyes and willed all of the godly power power he had to be released, summoning a thunderstorm.

"Ah... Amaterasu. Origin of all that is good and mother to us all... The evil forces which dwell here dare to threaten this village and harm our dear ones... Upon vanquishing this beast, I shall restore the light within. You who walk the same battlefield as I, Gekigami, god of storms, deserve the power of lightning. Oh great beast, **behold...my power***!" He yelled as thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, collecting in his hand. Loading the bolt into his bow he nodded at Kirby- who was charged up to the max- and Tachigami, whose blade was glowing with the power of his godly energy. The Serpentus roared and circled around before charging right at them, jaws agape.

"When I say, fire into its mouth. If I'm correct then the inside is very fleshhy." Tachigami said as the dragon advanced on the trio. Gakigami nodded before his body Wes surrounded by storm clouds and he morphed into his Zodiac Form. Serpentus' roar was suddenly dwarfed by the Storm god's own. Down below, he saw all the villagers covered their ears while Hotaru and Meta Knight stood and watched. Hotaru said something to Meta Knight.

Serpentus advanced, almost on top of them.

"NOW!" Tachigami yelled. Gekigami roared and shot his 'arrow' into the dragon's mouth. it shot strait though, sending arcs of lightning though its body. Kirby, on the other hand, sent a bold almost as powerful as his own. Tachigami released a sword beam before the dragon exploded, knocking him out and out if zodiac.

*1: I don't know what the official term is, I guess it'd be the Cabinet Minister's quarters?

*2: In the first episode of the anime, Fumu visions Kirby to be a handsome human. I assume she read fairy tales when she was a kid and visioned Kirby off of a character in a book.

*3: I always found Fumu to be one to jump to conclusions and to be suspicious of newcomers. That's just me though so...

*4: Hōshi is star in Japanese (Hence: Hoshi no Kaabii- Kirby of the Stars). Hoshi is just the term the people of Nippon use.

*5: I read somewhere that while the GSA is the main army, the Star Warriors are basically hight ranking soldiers (Generals, Captain, Captain Commanders, etc.) and that there aren't many of them. I also think that the Star Warriors are NOT a species, after all wasn't Jacara one? Meta Knight was one and so were others of a different species so they can't all be the same species

*6: I know Arthur is officially the leader of the GSA but someone had to be before him, plus even though I like some of the ideas of having Arthur and the others as superiors to MK at one point but I personally like to think that they were trainees together.

*7, 8, & 9: Minor OCs, While Eve is basically a Batamon she's a slight variation on the species, her mouth is slightly lower and her eyes are smiler to that of an animal's. Her body and cape a green and her armor is a red-brown color much like her hair. In a fight she relies on magic and various weapons hidden inside her cape. Yume is a bipedal dragon and mainly fights using a verity of elements or weapons. He's often the leader of attacks on harsh trained planets. He used to be semi-Humanoid. Sojurn is Yamikage's master, who is head of The Ninjas before him. Unlike the stereotypical ninja, he wears black robes with a white coat and is a master of all the techniques of a ninja.

*10: Not every Sasuke is a demon... I think.

*11: Japanese - Nipponese

*12: You know, _That_ look.

*13: Basically a master at surviving anywhere. They're similar to Assassins but more rugged and somewhat happy-go-lucky and not hunted down as much out of revenge. Most Survivalists' catchphrases circulate around "Just doing my job", "Use your eyes, nitwit", or "Cash or a nice place to stay with free meals will do as pay".

*14 & 15: A bit like in Bleach where the characters can "fly". Because these two are both gods they can "fly" but not like Fly as in Kazegami or using wings can more like they can manipulate godly/Spiritual power around them that makes them "fly"... if you get what I mean.

*16: Took parts of Gekigam's speech and added it to this one, plus Meta Knight brawl taunts.


End file.
